A contract valued at $18 million was signed on Wednesday by the Ministry of Education to effect repairs to Penwood High School in West Central St Andrew.

Under the contract, signed at the ministry’s Heroes Circle offices, KSA Engineering Consultants Limited will replace doors and windows, upgrade electrical works, paint the building, and renovate and waterproof the roof.

Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson said the contract signing was important as every child in Jamaica deserved the “very best environment in which to learn”.

“We are depending on the community not just to ensure that the contract proceeds on time and in budget, but also that when the building is completed, that it is protected,” Henry Wilson said. “We are appealing to all the stakeholders to protect the property, to ensure that none of the material that is placed on location is removed, except for the building of the school,” she added.

Member of Parliament for West Central St Andrew, Andrew Holness, said he was grateful to the ministry for carrying out the necessary repairs to Penwood High School.

“On behalf of the community, the students and teachers of Penwood High, I would like to express our gratitude and thanks to the ministry in finally putting this contract to signing,” Holness said.

He added that Penwood High School was improving in its academic performance and “I am sure that improvements in the infrastructure of the school will further aid in the advancement of the school”.

School principal Austin Burrell said he was very happy that the institution would be repaired.

“The Penwood family is exceedingly happy for the signing of this contract. We can assure you that we will ensure that our performance at Penwood High School is value for money,” said Burrell.

The repairs form part of the ministry’s ongoing programme to rehabilitate schools under the Education Transformation Project. Since the start of the academic year 2006/07, some 96 contracts valued at $206 million have been awarded to effect repairs to schools at all levels.