BELMONT, Westmoreland — The year-old Belmont Academy in Westmoreland has been put on par with Campion College and the St Andrews High school for girls by the National Education Inspectorate, (NEI) in a report that has yet to be made official, according to its acting principal, the Reverend Dr Basil Chambers.

Chambers who was speaking at the official launch of the new school year said that the NEI’s assessment was made following a recent inspection of the institution.

However the NEI’s former chief inspector, Elaine Foster Allen, while pointing out that the school appeared to be doing well, said it would be inappropriate to make such a comparison before the reports were made official.

“There is a procedure to be followed concerning the NEI’s report…the Education Minister has not yet signed them… so it would not be appropriate to confirm such a comparison at this time,” she said.

Dubbed Jamaicas first Centre of Excellence by the Ministry of Education, the academy was conceptualised with a view to breaking down elitist barriers within the education system.

Education Minister Andrew Holness who delivered the keynote address at the function which was staged at the academy on Monday under the theme, Education: Transforming our nation, unlocking potential, said that already the school was recieving more applications than it could acommodate.

“We have to revolutionize the education system; for years we have used the best resources with the best students and have caused a two-tier society. Belmont Academy is an experiment in creating this new system,” he said to the over one thousand-strong audience.

Noting the economic hardships faced by some parents the Minister encouraged better use of government assistance programmes.

“Poverty is a cycle that can be broken by one generation of home-leaders making the sacrifice for education of their children,” he said to applause. “I didn’t come from the lap of luxury as my mother was a civil servant who made a sacrifice so I recommend it to all parents of Jamaica,” he added.

He added that the Ministry of Education is working to achieve equitable education in a value chain comprised of parents, schools and students who must not fail if the system is to succeed.

Also addressing the gathering was Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern Luther Buchanan, who presented a computer to the Business Management Department during the tour of the facility that followed.

Buchanan congratulated Minister Holness for ensuring a high standard of teacher quality at the institution, but blasted him for not providing all the necessay resources.

Acting Board Chairman Reverend Noel Monteith praised the Education Ministry and teachers based on the recent CXC results and prayed for the protection of the nation’s children, while Nadine Molloy, President of the Jamaica Teachers Association, echoed the need for a comprehensive effort to ensure the sucess of the system.

Other speakers included Devon Ruddock, Director of the Ministry of Educatin’s Region 4 and Lorna Lawson, Chairman Parent Teachers Association Region 4.

Amina Blackwood Meeks, Director of Culture in Education in the Education Ministry kept the spirit of the ocassion jovial in her role as Master of Ceremonies, while the Herbert Morrison High School Band, Belmont Academy’s Janine Williams and Mountainside Primary’s Brandi Dennis also provided entertainment.