Three New Classrooms Open at Donald Quarrie High

With the addition of three new classrooms, Donald Quarrie High School, in East Rural St. Andrew, is now closer to becoming a single shift institution.

The new classrooms, built at a cost of $12 million, represent 20 per cent of what the institution needs to be taken off the double shift system.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, today (November 17), Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, gave a commitment to provide funding for the building of additional classrooms at the school in the 2016/17 fiscal year.

“Donald Quarrie (High School) is on a move to become a full day single shift school and I commend those who have made it possible to add three new bright classrooms to the campus,” he said.

“The Ministry of Education will do everything possible to ensure that in next year’s financing, there is space for a block of classrooms here that will take you closer to the single shift and put away the double shift system,” the Minister added.

He said the Ministry will continue to work with international partners to seek   grant funding, which will further assist in upgrading and improving schools across the island.

Rev. Thwaites said that funds  to upgrade the institution’s workshops and science laboratories will be placed in the Ministry’s capital budget.

The Minister encouraged the students and teachers to take care of the facilities and to give of their best towards the pursuit of excellence.

“It is indeed a time for new beginnings here at Donald Quarrie…live up to the name that your school is called. Donald Quarrie gained lustre for himself and Jamaica, not by doing something on his own, not by being selfish in his talents, but by training and working towards a goal,” he said.

He urged the students to “value and treasure” their education, pointing out that unlike previous years, all high school students now have a place in a five-year school.

The Minister challenged the students to excel in the core subjects of English, Mathematics, the Sciences and technical areas.

“Look for those technical areas, the vocational areas where you can take not only CSEC but City and Guilds and NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) exams, because those are the qualifications that will help you to get a job (and) will help you to qualify for higher training,” he said.

For his part,  Principal,  Talbert Weir,  informed that architectural and engineering drawings have been concluded for the construction of an additional 21 classrooms, seven of which are to be built and be in place for September of 2016.

Board Chairman, Christopher Burgess, thanked the many partners for their efforts in the construction of the classrooms.

The institution was dedicated in 1977 as a monument in honour of Olympian and track star, Donald Quarrie.