MANDEVILLE, Manchester — It’s a shining example of privately run early childhood education in socially and economically depressed communities.

But also, the D Frank Early Childhood Institution, located between Little 14th Street and Scott Town in Greenvale, has become a symbol of social activism and private/public sector partnership for community improvement.

“This is a true example of joined-up partnership,” declared Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips in January, as electricity provider Jamaica Public Service (JPS) connected the school to the power grid.

For the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the basic school has become a mission of love.

“We want to make it a model school for the parish of Manchester,” said Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Freckleton, who has been central to the development of the D Frank Early Childhood Institution.

“It is important that communities at risk such as Greenvale are looked at in a different light, and we believe this basic school can help along the way,” she said.

“This will be a continuous project,” an upbeat Freckleton told the Jamaica Observer Central. “I don’t think this is a project that we will ever let go… as long as the Chamber is around, I think this school will be around and vice versa.”

As explained by Freckleton, the germ of the idea developed when she visited Greenvale — a populous, lower socio/economic and sometimes troubled community — for a Christmas treat in 2010.

After interacting with the children, Freckleton quickly realised that several were reading below their grade level. Further checks revealed a serious shortcoming in educational infrastructure.

“I realised that there was need for basic education,” said Freckleton.

Moving with alacrity, Freckleton contacted Phillips, who told her that there was a small parcel of Government-owned land which could be used if the funds could be raised.

Next stop was the charitable organisation Food For the Poor, which adapted the project as part of its Jamaica 50 programme. That programme is targeting the building of 50 basic schools over 50 months to mark the nation’s 50th anniversary as an Independent nation, observed last year.

The progressive youth-based private voluntary organisation, Kind Hearts Limited, then raised funds for the project. An admiring Freckleton recalled that volunteers from Kind Hearts Limited “actually came down from Kingston to provide their labour” to the actual construction.

Having facilitated the use of the land, Phillips also provided an allocation from his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for a water tank and fencing of the school.

Construction completed, it was decided to simply relocate “a little school at Bethel Street (Greenvale), that was at risk of closing because they did not have proper facilities” rather than start afresh, explained Freckleton.

Officially opened in September 2012, the D Frank Early Childhood Institution has three classrooms, a principal’s office, a sick bay, cafeteria, toilets, and shower. It has a capacity of 60 students and is now accommodating just under 50.

Since its formal opening just over a year ago, support for the basic school has continued to grow, with corporate Jamaica and individuals giving a helping hand.

“This community has a big light shining; we just want to be a part of it,” said JPS President and CEO Kelly Tomblin, when her company donated electricity in January.

Freckleton said members of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce are now assisting with school fees because of economic hardships facing some parents. A medical doctor within the organisation’s membership has also “graciously agreed” to assist with medical checks, Freckleton said.

A next step being dreamt of by Freckleton is to get electronic tablets to the children as teaching aids. She is now in dialogue with Government officials towards that end, she said.

“I want to see the day when every child at D Frank will have a tablet,” said Freckleton.

Principal of the school, Gloria McKenzie, for whose grandfather the D Frank Early Childhood Institute is named, believes the Greenvale community will reap rich benefits.

“Words cannot explain our gratitude,” she told the Observer Central.