Education Minister Maxine Henry Wilson has said that next year’s three-day closure of five schools near Sabina Park would not negatively impact the students’ learning.

The schools – Alpha Academy, Alpha Infant and Primary, Jessie Ripoll Primary, Kingston College and St George’s College – will close as part of efforts to satisfy security stipulations by the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 organisers.

Henry-Wilson said at Tuesday’s sitting of the House that teachers, students and parents at the schools were given advance notice at the start of the academic year last month.

The minister was responding to concerns raised by Opposition spokesman on Finance ,Audley Shaw.

Noting that the decision to close the schools was not hastily arrived at, she said the CWC local organising committee had initiated meetings with the ministry from two years ago.

“And we have met with them over the period of time. We have gazetted the schools and we have arranged with the schools for them to add on the additional days,” she added.

In the case of students sitting the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), alternative arrangements have been put in place for them to attend other schools in the environs.

“So we are quite comfortable with the arrangements. We have met with the principals. The organising committee has met and they are very comfortable with the arrangements,” the minister said. -JIS