‘Give us the classrooms’

Parents, students protest education ministry’s failure to get classrooms going

SCORES of parents and students of Fair Prospect Primary School in east Portland, last Monday gathered outside the school’s gate protesting the education ministry’s failure to appoint a contractor for the construction of classrooms, they say, money has been allocated for.

Funding was provided by the Embassy of Japan under the Grassroots Human Security Projects, but parents told the Jamaica Observer North & East last week that the ministry has failed to appoint a contractor.

Parent and past student Khalia Morgan, who volunteered to speak on behalf of parents, argued that $11.6 million was given to the school in March to construct the classrooms, but almost a year later no work has been done.

“This grade six classroom has been there for years. I am 34 years old and this condition is here for more than 15 years. From I was in grade six they have been constantly repairing the plyboard. We want the children to feel comfortable in their classrooms and the teachers. We want something good so that the children can learn. The present condition is not healthy for the children. One classroom is infested with [termites]. We need the minister to do something,” Morgan said.

“We padlocked the gates this morning (last Monday) to make our voices heard. This is my daughter’s last year at the school and she is in that class. I am not doing this because it is affecting my child. I am out here because it is a good school and I want it to be better. We want a proper school. It is a good school and kids do learn here,” the woman added.

She said that parents were told that work would begin in summer 2018, but that timeline later changed to the Christmas break.

“My child will be doing a new and difficult examination and we want the conditions to improve,” Morgan said.

Portland Eastern Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield last Monday urged Minister of Education Senator Ruel Reid to start the