MONTEGO BAY, St James – The prestigious 117-year-old boys school Cornwall College will as of September 2013, accept 10 female students into the school’s sixth-form programme.

Decades ago, girls were accepted in Cornwall’s sixth-form programme, which went dormant in the 1970s. The sixth form programme was revitalised in 1982 without girls.

The Orange Street-based high school, which was established in 1896, has in recent years done exceptionally well in the natural sciences, enjoying an average of over 96 per cent passes in chemistry and physics in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

Chairman of the Cornwall College School Board Gerry Chambers said the high performance in science had been pivotal in encouraging girls to apply for entry to Cornwall’s sixth form which has a capacity for 110 student places.

“Our boys are not leaving to go to any community college. (But) Girls have been requesting to come here, especially for the science subjects because our passes are that good. So, we are starting with 10 girls,” Chambers told the Observer West.

It is not finalised whether the uniform for the 10 girls will bear the red and gold colours of the school.

When asked if there were any objections from some old boys over the decision to allow entry to girls, Chambers noted that the institution will always maintain its status as a boys’ school, but if the girls meet the criteria for sixth form they will be allowed.

“The only thing that is permanent in life is change and if they (girls) satisfy the quality standards, then we are going to start with 10 and see where it goes. Cornwall is a boys’ school and should be maintained as a boys’ school only. And we not experimenting below sixth form. It is for sixth form only,” Chambers said.

Two years ago, a $15-million sixth form block was opened at the school to accommodate an additional 70 students at that level.

Funding for the project was provided by prominent Montego Bay businessman and old boy, Carlton Chin.

A former president of the Cornwall College Old Boys’ Association, Chin, who attended Cornwall College in the 1940s, has made numerous contributions to his old school through the years.

Chambers said places in Cornwall’s upper school were becoming increasingly competitive.

According to him, recent research by a past student had indicated that over the past six years “the results are the best the school has ever had in the past 50 years”.

According to Chambers, “What we are concentrating on now is the quality of passes.”

Chambers said that with savings gained from a recently solarised system and funding from a Cornwall past student, a teacher-incentive programme will be established at the school aimed at further improving academic results.