OVERCROWDING, damage from Hurricane Dean and non-payment of school fees factored greatly in Monday’s official start of the new school year at some St Catherine schools, although principals said they were anticipating a much smoother start than they did last year.

As early as 7:00 am parents and their charges formed long queues at the schools for last minute registration and to inquire about the payment of tuition fees, while principals scurried back and forth dealing with various issues.

Workmen were also busy completing classrooms and cleaning up debris in time for next Monday when most schools should have full resumption of classes.

Jose Marti Technical High, located at Twickenham Park, was again faced with overcrowding although the principal Bevar

Moodie gave the assurance that the school would return to ‘staggering’, which was used last year to address the overcrowding.

He said 635 students were placed at the school this year, bringing the population to 2,100, which was 320 more than last year.

Moodie said three new buildings should be completed by next Monday to accommodate this overflow.

“Come next week we will be able to assess the readiness when all the students are out for school,” he told the Observer.

At the same time, he said that he was anxiously awaiting a much-needed bathroom block to accommodate the growing school population.

At Waterford High in Portmore, principal Cecile Bernard said three new classrooms should be ready by next Monday, in preparation for the additional 90 students received from the ministry after plans for the Dunbeholden High School were shelved.

However, Bernard said that even with the new classrooms, plus four others which were recently repaired, the school was still overcrowded as it was built to accommodate less than the 1,600 students currently enrolled. Currently the average class size is 40 students.

Bernard said she has been promised at least three other classrooms as well as bathroom facilities.

Regarding tuition, Bernard said a number of parents had already paid and were inquiring how the money would be refunded. The tuition fee is $8,250, while the maintenance charges which the parents must pay is $3,500.

At Greater Portmore High, many parents waited patiently for the principal to clarify the fees to be paid.

“I need to know what is happening with the fees because me hear all sort of things and me come this morning to hear what is the right thing,” said a parent.

She added that she would have loved to not be able to pay any fees since she had already used the school fees to help in back-to-school preparations for her child.

Principal Aurleen Williams explained that in anticipation of this the school formulated a circular explaining the fees which must be paid.

At Ascot High, many parents brought grade seven students who should not have been at school until Thursday. Many were also unsure as to what portion of the fee was to be paid.

Principal Cedric Murray said three new classrooms were near completion and should be ready for occupancy next week. Murray said he would have loved for the class sizes to be much smaller.

“We would have loved to have smaller classes with 20 students to a class but that is just not possible,” he said.

The school received an additional 80 students who should have also been placed at Dunbeholden High, bringing the population to 1,400.

At Independence City Primary School, several parents with their young ones in tow tried desperately to get their children registered. The school, which was one of the 11 recently taken off the shift system, was said to be experiencing overcrowding.

“I only have seven spaces left for grade one students,” the principal told a long line of waiting parents. “We have changed over status and it is requiring a lot of sorting out so I really don’t have the time to talk with you,” she told the Observer as she rushed upstairs with several parents in tow.

However, councillor for Independence City, Keith Blake, said the classes were overcrowded despite the fact that a building was recently converted into additional classrooms.

“I will be recommending that two additional classrooms be built to accommodate the students,” he told the Observer.