JISA forecasts grim future for private schools

WESTERN BUREAU:

With two private schools buckling under pressure from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Faithlyn Wilson, president of the Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA), is predicting that the financial situation of these institutions will significantly worsen if private-school students cannot engage in face-to-face learning.

Wilson made the dire forecast while speaking to The Gleaner on Thursday following news that the Kingston-based Quest Preparatory School, which has been in operation for 55 years, will not reopen in September.

Another Kingston-based private school, the Smurfs Early Childhood Centre, shut down last June after 31 years of operation due to the financial fallout from the pandemic.

“We do expect further economic fallout if COVID-19 remains with us and if our children have to remain online [for schooling],” said Wilson. “A lot of our parents are saying that face-to-face learning serves the needs of their children better, especially children with special needs, and the parents are not going to be prepared to pay for the schooling unless they see it as value for money.”

Since the pandemic forced the closure of all schools on the island last March, JISA – which represents 150 of Jamaica’s approximately 600 private schools – has repeatedly stated that several private schools may have to close their doors if they do not get financial aid from the Government. Private schools primarily rely on school fees received from parents to carry out their operations.

Wilson also noted that parents of private school students believe that the current online learning system, as advocated by the Ministry of Education, is not of the quality they are willing to pay for compared to face-to-face learning.

“The bandwidth situation is different across the island, and I understand that less than 30 per cent of the island has stable Internet service. It is those kinds of reasons, to include the unavailability of the Internet service in some areas, that is part of why our parents think they are not getting value for money,” said Wilson.

“We understand that the containment protocols for COVID-19 are with us for a while, but some combination of in-person learning and online learning would be a good compromise, and our parents would be willing to pay for that,” continued Wilson. “Our parents are of the view that the current value is not as much as when we have, at least, a blended learning modality.”

Wilson further acknowledged that her organisation has been in discussion with the Ministry of Education about mixing online classes with in-person schooling.

Last month, Education Minister Fayval Williams promised that Internet access would be made available for all of Jamaica’s schools, including those in rural communities. The Ministry of Education is expected to address the lack of connectivity during the upcoming school year.

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