Smooth Start to New School Year

Regional Director of Region 3 in the Ministry of Education, Maxine Headlam, has reported that the 120 public schools in Trelawny and St. Ann had a smooth start to the new school year on September 3.

"We got off to a good start this morning. We did not have much issue that could have prevented schools from starting, so all our schools have resumed. Some schools are still continuing with their orientation of new students, and those would be the high schools,” Miss Headlam told JIS News.

The Regional Director said she was pleased with the opening of the Marcus Garvey Technical High School Mansfield Heights campus, and the Steer Town Academy. She said the leadership of both institutions must be commended, as they stuck to the task to ensure that the students and teachers had a hassle free day at the two schools.

"We were able to open the Mansfield Heights campus of the Marcus Garvey Technical High School, and the Steer Town Academy was relocated to its designated site. Those two went off smoothly,” she said.

On the water issue at the Refuge Primary School in Trelawny, and the Walkerswood Primary School in St. Ann, Ms. Headlam informed that by 2:00 p.m. water was trucked to the schools.

The Regional Director pointed out that Marcus Garvey High School is now officially off the shift system, as they are operating two campuses, with the Mansfield Heights campus catering for grades 7 and 8, and the main campus at St. Ann’s Bay housing grades 9 to 11.

"The change to a whole day operation has been welcomed by the staff and the teachers,” she told JIS News.

Ms. Headlam pointed out that due to extensive refurbishing work at the St. Ann based Gibraltar Primary, that school is having a phased start, adding that the parents are giving their full support to the on-going work.

"They are really working with the project to ensure that the school is fully operational by Wednesday (September 5)," she said.