KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites says adequate furniture will be in place at Clan Carthy High School in Kingston next Monday to facilitate the full attendance of students.

A media report last evening said some 600 parents were sent letters asking them not to send their children to school on specified days because of a shortage of furniture.

Thwaites’ announcement follows a meeting on Thursday with representatives of the school’s board and management, who disclosed that 120 desk and chairs were on order to be delivered on the weekend. This will complete the initial shortfall, Thwaites said, of 300 pieces of furniture, 100 of which were renovated by the school and the remainder provided by the Ministry of Education.

He told the school leaders that the decision to keep approximately 200 students away from school for a day, in order to cope with the lack of furniture, should have been referred to the Ministry of Education for prior consideration.

The education minister has instructed the school leaders to ensure that make-up classes were provided for the students who were absent.

In addition, he expressed concern at the high rate of damage to furniture and asked the school leaders to “impress upon students at Clan Carthy High to take better care of school property”. He also instructed the regional director to conduct a full inventory of the furniture at the school vis-à-vis the size of the student enrolment.