AFTER being forced to function on a double shift system for two years because of overcrowding, the Kellits High School in Clarendon is to return to its original single shift status by January.

A contract valued at $21 million signed yesterday between the Ministry of Education and Alfrasure Structures and Roofing Limited yesterday at Heroes Circle in Kingston will create approximately 200 new spaces for students.

The construction falls under the Provision of Critically Needed Secondary School Places Project, funded by the ministry’s Education Transformation Programme.

Permanent secretary for the ministry, Maria Jones, said a number of other schools were also benefiting from similar expansion programmes.

“It does not really speak to the hundreds that are in minor work, the 80-odd in major work, the 30-odd that are in expansion and the 18 to 20 new ones that are to be built as soon as we can get the drawings completed,” Jones said at the contract signing at the ministry’s Heroes Circle office in Kingston.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Horace Dalley said the proposed addition of five classrooms at Kellits High School was welcomed.

“People tend to forget constituencies like Northern Clarendon and South East St Ann because we are so land locked and we don’t have any major towns. But being chosen is something we welcome because one of the things we have at Kellits High is a shortage of space,” Dalley said.

Principal Kathleen Edwards said the new classrooms were welcomed as the institution had been forced to implement a double shift system to accommodate more students.

In the meantime, however, contractor Evan Reid sounded a note of caution about the three-month completion date. He said the spot identified to be cleared for the new block had presented a challenge because of the terrain, which would have to be levelled first.

“The time we are given is a little bit tight, so let us not put too much hope in the three months,” Reid pointed out, noting that the building might not be fully ready for the January school term.

Last year, 3,680 school places were identified for the secondary level, however, a more detailed review revealed that more places would be needed to address the population explosion in St Catherine and Clarendon.

Both parishes, which comprise the ministry’s Region Six, have been experiencing an increase in population size over the years, leading to overcrowding in several schools.

At the end of June 2005, the high school had some 1,102 students.