KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Residents of South Western St Elizabeth are now benefitting from improved educational infrastructure.

Member of Parliament for the area, Hugh Buchanan, informed the House on Tuesday that a new classroom block has been constructed at the Crawford Primary School with help from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

He also noted that with assistance from Food for the Poor and Helping Hands Jamaica, an additional five state-of-the-art basic schools  have been constructed in the constituency.

Buchanan was making his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate.

“The basic schools are Arlington, Knoxwood, Williamsfield, Lewis Town and Mountainside,”  he noted.

The Member of Parliament pointed out that the Mountainside Basic School was done in collaboration with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, as part of Jamaica 50 legacy projects.

Buchanan noted that the former Arlington Basic School is now located on the compound of the Fullerswood Primary School.

“The Ministry of Education saw it fit to upgrade that basic school from just being a basic school to the Fullerswood Primary and Infant School. I believe that this is a move in the right direction, so that the kids of Arlington can have access to good quality early childhood education,” he said.

Buchanan said that funding has been provided through the Constituency Development Fund for the provision of scholarships to the top girl and boy in the Grade Six Achievement Test  (GSAT) at all 19 primary schools in the area.

Construction has also taken place at the Brompton Primary School, where new toilet facilities are now in place. Water tanks have also been provided at the Black River Primary School and the Vineyard Early Childhood Institute.