Kendal Primary moves into new school

WESTERN BUREAU:

Staff and 132 students at Kendal Primary School in Hanover are celebrating a new J$146.5-million school building, funded by the government and the Caribbean Development Bank.

The new facility, which will also serve as a community space, was officially handed over last Thursday at a ceremony on the school grounds.

It replaces the school’s former run-down and dilapidated structure, which was demolished, forcing students and teachers to hold classes in two churches in the community.

The CBD provided 90 per cent of the funding and the government the other 10 per cent.

Omar Sweeney, the managing director at the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), the implementing agency for the construction, said the handover ceremony was not only about the completion of the works.

“It is also about giving this community a stronger institution that can serve both education and emergency response needs for years to come,” he said.

“This project aligns with Jamaica’s National Development Agenda of achieving world-class education and training, and is also aligned with the Goal Four of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which promotes inclusive and equitable quality and lifelong learning opportunities for all,” he added.

Shared vision

Khani Simpson, the chairman of the school board, said the new building is a results of different teams working towards a shared vision, determination and commitment.

“This occasion is, therefore, not simply about receiving a building, it is about celebrating vision, perseverance, partnership and investment in the future of our children,” he said.

He commended the teachers, parents, students, and the wider Kendal community for their perseverance and understanding through the times of inconvenience.

“This new school plant represents an environment where our children can learn, grown, dream and prepare themselves for the future. It represents our collective belief that every child deserves access to a safe supportive and suitable environment in which they can receive an education,” he added.

Hanover Western Member of Parliament Heatha Miller Bennett, who attended the original Kendal Primary School, said the transformation deserves to be recognised.

“So JSIF, I want to say thank you for believing in Kendal and, most importantly, for investing in the children of Hanover and the nation,” she said. “The new school facility is more than just a building; it is an investment in the future of the whole community.”

She urged community members to claim ownership of the facility and to safeguard it.

Junior Education Minister Rhoda Moy Crawford reminded residents that they have much to be thankful for as several schools that were damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa are still undergoing repair.

“When we started school in September, ... [repairs at] 57 of the [damaged] schools were completed. We have another 95 on track to be completed in October, and another 35 to be completed in November,” she said.

Crawford said the government remains “very committed and we are serious about rebuilding our schools in a more resilient way, making sure that we can nourish, maintain and facilitate greatness in the schools”.

editorial@gleanerjm.com