York Castle to Benefit Under Secondary School Places Programme

Cabinet has approved the award of a $25 million contract to Alfrasure Structures and Roofing Limited for the construction of a two-storey, four-classroom block at York Castle High School in St. Ann.
The construction falls under the Provision of the Critically Needed Secondary School Places Programme, which has been established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture.
Speaking at yesterday’s (March 13) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman revealed that under the Programme, 11 schools were slated to receive upgraded classroom spaces.
Referring to the York Castle High School project, he noted that the contract would enable the institution to provide an additional 180 places, representing 7.5 per cent of the demand for additional secondary school places across the island.
The construction is scheduled to begin this month and will last for four months.
In January, Senator Whiteman announced that S.W.C. Woodwork and Construction Limited had been awarded two separate contracts to construct buildings at the Bishop Gibson High School and DeCarteret College as part of the Programme.
At Bishop Gibson, a part two-storey, part three-storey, five classroom block will be built at a cost of $16.89 million, while a part two-storey, part three-storey five classroom block is to be built at DeCarteret College at a cost of $18.2 million. The construction at those schools is due for completion by August 2006.