KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Education, Ronald Thwaites, this afternoon named 18 rural primary schools and all-age schools that will be closed in September.

The minister said that students from these schools have been registered at other schools.

The 18 schools are: Bowden Hill Primary and Mount James All Age in West Rural St Andrew; Tower Hill and Clifton Primary in East Rural St Andrew; Black Hill All Age and Belvedere Primary, Western Portland; Preston Hill and Rose Bank Primary, Central St Mary, and Pear Tree River Primary in Eastern St Thomas; Alps Primary and Infant, Southern Trelawny; Brittonvale, Clydesdale, Jefferyville and Watsonville Primary Schools, South Eastern St Ann; Hillsbrook, Hanover Eastern; Auchtembeddie Primary and Junior High, Manchester North Western, and  Hopeton Primary, St Elizabeth South Eastern; as well as Hartlands Primary, St Catherine Central.

Thwaites said that in order to ensure a smooth transition, the ministry’s regional staff will work closely with the staff of the receiving schools.

Balford Henry