THE Ministry of Education has announced the scheduled reopening of Bowden Hill Primary in St Andrew next month at the start of the new school term.

The school was one of 18 underpopulated rural primary and all-age schools closed by the ministry earlier this year. Since then, the Church of God of Prophecy offered its meeting hall as a venue to hold classes for affected students.

At the time of its closure, enrolment at Bowden — which has a capacity of 84 students — stood at a mere 18. Yesterday, the ministry said that the number will be over 60 students when the school reopens its doors in the first week of January. Meanwhile, Education Minister Ronald Thwaites said that arrangements will be made to have a board and an acting principal in place for the reopening.

He said that the decision to reopen the school followed representation by Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Rural Paul Buchanan and community representatives. During a meeting yesterday, Thwaites said that the ministry would partner with the representatives to effect needed repairs to the building in order to facilitate the resumption of classes.

Thwaites also commended the church and community representatives for their efforts to ensure that an educational institution remains in the community and implored them to keep the enrolment above 60 to ensure the viability of the school.

The education minister also indicated that, over the medium term, the ministry would also introduce a skills training programme at the school in collaboration with the HEART Trust/NTA.

Apart from Bowden Hill, the other schools closed this year were Mount James All Age in St Andrew West Rural ; Tower Hill and Clifton Primary in St Andrew East Rural; Black Hill All-Age and Belvedere Primary in Portland Western; Preston Hill and Rose Bank Primary, St Mary Central; and Pear Tree River Primary in St Thomas Eastern; Alps Primary and Infant in Southern Trelawny; Brittonvale, Clydesdale, Jefferyville and Watsonville Primary Schools, St Ann South Eastern; Hillsbrook, Hanover Eastern; Auchtembeddie Primary and Junior High, Manchester North Western; Hopeton Primary, St Elizabeth South Eastern; as well as Hartlands Primary in St Catherine Central.