EDUCATION Minister Ronald Thwaites has announced that Robert Lightbourne High School in Trinityville, St Thomas will receive a $10-million upgrade to its technical and vocational labs for the new school year.

The upgrade forms part of the education ministry’s efforts to transform the school into a centre of excellence for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

The school’s award-winning agricultural programme, the education ministry s aid in a news release yesterday, will play a leading role in the establishment of the TVET centre of excellence.

“The restructuring of Robert Lightbourne High is in response to its ‘unsatisfactory’ performance in assessments done by the National Education Inspectorate,” the ministry said.

“Minister Thwaites disclosed during a recent meeting with staff, parents and community members at Robert Lightbourne High that the HEART Trust/National Training Agency would partner with the school to offer skills training and certification to students as well as community members,” the ministry added.

“Some of the new programmes to be offered by the school include warehousing, customer service and digital animation. Robert Lightbourne High will also offer the High School Diploma Equivalency programme to persons who have not completed high school education.”

Thwaites further disclosed that the school’s library would be upgraded through collaboration with the Jamaica Library Service. This will complement the three computer laboratories that currently provide access to e-learning for each student from Grade 7 to Grade 11.

Thwaites, the ministry release said, assured the gathering that his ministry was committed to raising the performance of Robert Lightbourne High. “In this regard, the ministry, in partnership with Jamaica National Building Society, will implement a school improvement initiative. This will include leadership training for middle and senior managers, as well as support for teaching and learning, especially in Mathematics and English Language.