Ocho Rios Primary to get temporary classrooms

Work is under way to construct four temporary classrooms at Ocho Rios Primary School to replace those destroyed in a fire at the institution on June 26.

The school, which has a population of around 1,100 students, reopened on Monday, with construction taking place in a manner intended to minimise disruption to teaching and learning.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Senator Marlon Morgan, toured several schools in St Ann on August 24, two weeks before the start of the new academic year. During a visit to Ocho Rios Primary, he disclosed that temporary classrooms would be built to replace those lost in the fire.

The construction of the temporary classrooms will allow the school to maintain its single-shift operation, which it adopted in September 2024 after operating on a two-shift system for several years.

Region Director for the Ministry of Education’s Region Three office, Karlene Segre, also participated in the tour, which included Ferncourt High, Irons Mountain Primary, Edgehill School of Special Education, Priory Primary and Infant, and St Ann’s Bay Infant.

At the end of the visit, Morgan noted that schools across the parish were at different stages of restoration, with some requiring additional work before they could resume normal operations.

carl.gilchrist@gleanerjm.com