Middlesex Infant gets $30m for restoration
THE J. Wray & Nephew Foundation (JWNF) has allocated $30 million to restore the Middlesex Infant School in northwestern St Elizabeth.
The project is a partnership between JWNF and the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and will serve the approximately 2,600 people and 663 households of the Holland community in which the Middlesex Infant School is located.
JWNF operates under three pillars – social inclusion, education and cultural expressions – and focuses its efforts on the communities in which J. Wray & Nephew operates in Kingston, Clarendon and St Elizabeth.
The initiative, which is set to commence on July 1, is the latest effort by JWNF under its education pillar.
The partnership will see the ECC providing technical oversight for the project, working hand-in-hand with JWNF in implementing the redevelopment. At the end of the aggressive eight-week construction period, the school will be poised to qualify as a model institution, using the latest qualification guidelines.
Among the improvements to be undertaken are a renovated canteen area; upgrade of the courtyard; the building of a sickbay; the creation of a vegetable garden; the establishment of a multipurpose area, parent zone and auditorium.
STUDENTS’ LIVES GREATLY ENHANCED
Drainage at the entrance will also be improved, as well as the expansion of classroom blocks; the building of new restroom facilities; provision of new water storage tanks; and creation of a learning centre with resources to offer training in information technology, arts, drama and physical development.
“We want the people of the community to take advantage of the several opportunities that will emerge from this project,” said Chairman of JWNF Clement ‘Jimmy’ Lawrence.
“This is just another demonstration of JWN’s and JWNF’s commitment to communities in St Elizabeth, with which we have had a long association.”
Upon the completion of the upgrade, the lives of the 53 students now enrolled, and those to come, will be greatly enhanced.
“We welcome the partnership as part of the modernisation of the earlychildhood sector, to create more infant schools/departments that offer quality early-childhood education free of cost. The multiplier effect of this initiative in the largely sugardependent community will be significant, in that it will impact not only the children in the community, but also the parents and teachers. The multipurpose room and parent zone will be used by parents and teachers alike for sensitisation and for skills training,” said Trisha Williams-Singh, chairman of the ECC.
Completion is set for the 2018-2019 academic school year.
This is JWNF’s second foray into developing an early-childhood institution, since for decades, the company has been the patron of the Appleton Basic School, providing infrastructure, training and other support to that institution.