LIKE several multigrade schools in rural Jamaica, the struggles faced by the administrators of Cacoon Castle Primary School in Hanover are many. The infrastructure needs improvement; there is a lack of adequate water supply during the dry season; and a general inability to cater to students with special needs.

Despite their measly resources, school principal Tanisha Fray-Powell has much to be proud of, as her students have often managed to secure places at top traditional schools in Western Jamaica such as Rusea’s High, St James High and William Knibb High.

“The 2014 GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test) has proven to be one of the best over the four-year period, with only two students obtaining overall averages below 50 per cent,” she noted, adding that some students were able to gain scholarships.

This has been quite an achievement for the school, considering that parents and even educators have often been sceptical of the viability of multigrade schools in guaranteeing children a proper education. Up to 2012, at least 33 per cent of Jamaica’s primary and junior high schools were considered to be multi-grade, and as is the case in these institutions, the teachers at Cacoon Primary have to up their efforts and teach two sets of grades in one classroom.

Senior teacher Stephanie Hamilton-Johnson, who teaches grades two and three, said this has been a challenge, but after seven years of being at Cacoon, she has got the hang of things.

“You have to know how much time you give to each class, so if a lesson is for one hour, you cannot devote the whole hour to one class. You have to break so that you can go and teach the next class,” said the teacher who also has responsibility for the school’s library and for co-ordinating the literacy programme.

The school was built for 400 students, but currently has 115 enrolled. There are four teachers, plus a principal who also finds herself delivering lessons in the classroom as well.

“For small schools like ours you only have a principal’s office, classroom and bathroom, and that’s it. We don’t have a dining area, we don’t have a multipurpose area, we just have one building and we just separate them.”

The school was started in 1968 as an all-age institution and has since changed three locations. When the enrolment numbers started dwindling, then it was converted into a primary school, mostly serving those in the community and surrounding areas. Infrastructural changes have been slow, but thanks to the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, they were able to upgrade from pit latrines to flush toilets in 2012.

Students at the school were given something to smile about recently when members of House of Hope Community Connection Inc braved the treacherous roadway leading to their institution to distribute school bags and a wide range of school supplies. Founder of the organisation Apolone Keaton said she decided to help because the school was in need of basic things which other institutions were probably taking for granted.

“Even though they are in the rural area, they need resources, even the basic stuff,” she said.

“These kids have nothing. They don’t even have one computer. We are in the 21st century, so at least one computer, at least a telephone for the school, just the basic stuff that the school needs. I went to the resources centre here and I mean, they have books, but they have nowhere to sit to do it,” she pointed out.

Hamilton Johnson said the school was grateful for the donations and so were the students who were also entertained by the group and given ice cream.

“Rural schools don’t get as much recognition as town schools or as schools in the main area, so for them to come this far, we are very grateful and you see it on the children faces that they are overjoyed,” the teacher said.

She believes too that the visit from the group has reminded the students that people care and that their school is important although it is not as well known as other institutions. Over the years, the school’s administrators have been tasked to attract students from the communities, as some parents prefer to send their children to institutions that have better resources. The teachers have inadvertently found themselves taking on the duty of being the school’s public relations officers as well.

“Like this event is doing a whole lot for our school and from time to time we have our parenting seminar and our PTA to say what our school is doing so that parents can be knowledgeable about what we are doing. But naturally you can’t change some parents’ minds, because they want to send their children where they want to,” said Hamilton Johnson.

Although there are several things that the institution is in dire need of, the teacher believes their primary need at this time would be to have individual classes for each class and a computer centre.

Students with their back to school supplies.

Cacoon Castle’s senior teacher Stephanie Hamilton-Johnson attends to one of the classes.

Hamilton-Johnson… you have to know how much time you give to each class

(Photos: ACEION CUNNINGHAM)