Palo Seco students back in school

Students of the Palo Seco Government Secondary School returned to classes yesterday, six months after fire swept through the school compound, completely destroying the main classroom building. Anxious students, accompanied by parents, were greeted by an almost-complete school building, still in need of a number of finishing work to the administration block. As 16-year-old Form Five student, Akeem Silverton, pointed out however, the new school building was a welcomed relief after months of indecision concerning the new school, which had also included a proposal to house students under a large tent.  However, after consultation with parents and Education Ministry officials, a number of new buildings for classrooms, administration offices, multimedia centre, and a library, were agreed to be constructed on the original school site.

In an interview yesterday, principal Fitzgerald Jeffrey said while the school’s main classrooms were finished, work still remained to be done to the administration offices, sick bay, and staff room. Construction will continue on evenings and weekends on the other classrooms in the partially completed two-storey building. The principal said some 85 percent of the student population and the entire teaching staff had reported for the first official day of the new school term. “Everyone, students, teachers and parents have expressed their satisfaction at returning to school, even though some work still has to be done on the building,” he said. Jeffery said despite the fire, which occurred before CXC examinations, 90.3 percent of the student population had received full certificates at the examinations. He expressed the hope that the school’s first intake of Advanced Level students would take place at the beginning of the next academic year.