MINISTER of Education Ronald Thwaites is urging members of the Barrett Town All-Age School community to stay focused as they strive to overcome their recent tragedy.

Thwaites, who visited the school in St James recently, said the purpose of his visit was to see how the school family was recovering from the March 30 stabbing death of a student, and to bring hope to all concerned.

“I am very proud of you students because you supported his family, along with the teachers and (other) parents, when he died. It was a sad time, as the circumstances of his death should not have happened… but we don’t run away and get frightened when difficult things happen. We rally around each other and we stand together,” Thwaites told the school family.

He also offered encouragement to students preparing for the Grade Four Literacy and Numeracy Tests and the Alternative Secondary Transitional Education Programme (ASTEP), as well as those awaiting their Grade Six Achievement Test results.

This year’s sitting of the Grade Four Literacy and Numeracy Tests was rescheduled for June 30 and July 1 to make up for school days lost during the Chikungunya virus outbreak last September and October. The tests were originally set for June 4 and 5.

Grade four students are assessed by the tests to determine their literacy and numeracy levels, in keeping with international requirements and standards.

“Your are going to do so well in the programme and you are going to sail into high school. Just make sure that you don’t lose heart and you pick up everything that you might need to pick up and everything will go well,” the minister told grade seven students preparing for the ASTEP.