CASCADE, Hanover — The Hilloughby Basic School and Smithfield Basic School located in the deep rural community of Cascade, Hanover will be merged with the nearby Brownsville Primary to create what will be known as the Brownsville All-Age and Infant School, as part of the Ministry of Education’s rationalisation programme.

The merger will take effect at the start of the new school year in September, according to the Ministry of Education.

“What happen is that the ministry is doing this rationalisation, whereby we are trying to put together and to enhance the quality of teaching, especially at the early childhood level,” said Michele Pinnock, Western Regional director for the Ministry of Education. “So, what we are doing is merging schools where possible that are within the same geographical location and in the merging ensure that nobody is disenfranchised, for argument sake.”

Pinnock said students who are over the age of three years and eight months will be placed in the newly created infant department of the Brownsville All-Age School, while Hilloughby Basic School will be allowed to continue in a different form – a ‘Day Care Institution.

The Hilloughby Basic School has 34 students enrolled and a teaching staff of three.

Earlier this month, the Jamaica Observer West reported that the school which started over 65 year ago is in dire need of a permanent place to call its own.

The institution has been housed in the Cascade Community Centre for the past 20 years.

Residents say, however, that they are in need of the centre.