Spring Mount access crisis hurts John’s Hall Primary

WESTERN BUREAU:

The John’s Hall Primary School is losing students as the collapse of the Spring Mount road in St James disrupts access to the school, with enrolment falling by 84 children as families struggle with longer journeys, higher transportation costs, and difficult travel routes.

The breakaway occurred nearly a year ago as Hurricane Melissa ravaged western Jamaica.

Principal Maxine Tugwell-Brown told The Gleaner that enrolment has since fallen from 362 students to 242 – or 26 per cent – as parents seek alternative institutions to send their children to.

She noted that previously, a large number of students would travel to the school from communities such as Spring Mount, Hampton, Springfield, and Kensington, which have all been impacted by the breakaway.

“Many of them get to school late,” she said, referencing those students who continue to attend despite the increased travelling cost and the extended route they now have to take.

“Some parents have contacted us to inform us that it is very costly to get them to come around both directions, and so they would have had to seek transfers to schools within their area or closer to them up that side,” she added.

The disruption is also affecting students who have graduated from John’s Hall Primary and are now attending secondary schools.

Tugwell-Brown said some students from Spring Mount have to walk across the narrow strip that remains of the road to board transportation on the other side.

“The transportation system for them is very treacherous,” she said, noting that the disruption could have consequences beyond just missing classes.

“If they’re not able to send them closer or every day, then the learning gap will increase or widen,” Tugwell-Brown said.

At Maldon High School, Principal Janet Manning also reported a sharp decline in attendance since the breakaway developed along the Spring Mount main road .

The school, which previously had more than 800 students, is now operating with just under 500, as students from affected communities face difficulty getting to school.

The alternative routes have also increased transportation costs and travel times, adding another burden for families already struggling to have their children maintain regular school attendance.

For John’s Hall Primary School, the road failure has compounded an already difficult year. The school was severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa and is currently operating from a temporary location while reconstruction takes place.

Tugwell-Brown said the teaching staff has been less affected because most teachers live in the surrounding area, but the student population continues to bear the brunt of the access crisis.

She is hoping that the relevant authorities will resolve the situation soon.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com