BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth – For retired educators Albert Reynolds and his wife Carmen last week Thursday was a great day for them. It was equally so for the Black River Primary and Infant School, as well as the community and its environs.

“Today the torch of learning which always burned brightly has been further rekindled,” Albert told the Observer West shortly after the ribbon was cut to declare open a $13-million computer laboratory and resource centre on the school’s premises named in honour of himself and his wife.

Aptly called the Albert and Carmen Reynolds Computer Lab and Resource Centre, the facility boasts 40 computers, two printers, a wide variety of software and a server room in air-conditioned surroundings.

The Reynolds had spent a total of 75 years in the classroom and had at separate times in their illustrious career served as principal at the Black River Primary and Infant School.

“My wife and I are happy that the present board of management by this gesture has found it fit to perpetuate our contribution to the school by naming the centre in our honour… you have touched our hearts quite tenderly and deeply,” said Albert.

Ground was broken for the construction of the facility a few months after chairman of the school board Locksley White approached the member of parliament for the area, Dr Christopher Tufton, with the idea.

The project was later brought to fruition with a contribution of $6 million from businessman Tony Hart and his wife Shelia and other donations from the Ministry of Education, Dr Tufton’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as well as the National Commercial Bank Foundation and Jakes’ Construction.

“This building represents true partnership. Irrespective of who articulated the vision, the truth is that the delivery of that vision is a consequence of a combined effort and team work,” Dr Tufton said at last Thursday’s opening ceremony.

The centre, he said, will help in the continuous of the moulding and development of the minds of these very fertile and promising young ones, as well as the entire community.

He said the ministries of education and youth, sports and culture will, within the next six weeks, provide two full-time teachers at the facility.

Dr Tufton added that talks are ongoing with the HEART Trust/NTA to explore the possibility of conducting training programmes and certification courses at the facility for adults in the Black River area.

Meanwhile, chairman of the school board, Locksley White, pointed out that the facility is a major achievement in the school’s history.

“This milestone of achievement in the history of Black River Primary and Infant School is well appreciated by the principal and her staff as a teaching tool, as they try to train and prepare our students not only to pass the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and go on to high school, but to continue to tertiary institutions and to pursue their career path,” he said.