FLANKER, St James – When the new academic year begins in September, the entire student population at the Flanker Primary and Junior High in St James will be donning their newly designed uniform as part of efforts to change the image of the less than stellar performing co-educational state-run institution.

Already, roughly 40 per cent of the 420 students enrolled at the inner-city school have been outfitted in the new attractive attire since it was introduced late last year, according to the school’s principal Rupert Shaw.

“We are now giving the students a sense of pride; we want them to feel good about themselves based on the efforts we are making to transform the school,” said Shaw, referring to the new uniform.

“In the long run we want Flanker Primary and Junior High School to be the school of choice for this region.”

According to Shaw, the idea to outfit students in the new-look uniform was hatched at a Parent Teachers Association (PTA) meeting.

“The parents and staff discussed the matter at meetings where we looked at all aspects of how to transform the school. When the decision was taken to change the uniform, everybody bought into the idea,” Shaw explained.

He cited the late arrival of the new uniforms last year, as the reason why the entire student population was not already wearing them.

“The uniforms came late, so by then a number of parents had gone ahead and bought the old uniform, but come next September, everybody will be in the new ones,” said Shaw confidently.

Several students who spoke to the Jamaica Observer West earlier this week expressed satisfaction at the new-look outfit.

“I like the new uniform; to me it’s very attractive and it makes me feel good about the changes that are happening at the school,” said a female grade six student.

Located in the Flanker community, which up to about 10 year ago had been a hotbed of criminal activity, the school, which came off the shift system in 2015, was established almost 48 years ago.

Shaw, an educator for just over 30 years, was appointed principal in 2013.

He told the Observer West recently during a reception at the Dream Castle Villa in Ironshore, hosted by businesswoman Gwen Nicks James for scholarship recipients of the Dream Castle Scholarship Fund who attend Flanker Primary and Junior High, that indiscipline was rampant at the institution at the time of his appointment.

“There were frequent fights and several other indiscipline problems, like students bringing alcoholic beverages to school for lunch … but that was quickly dispensed with with the implementation of behaviourial management,” said Shaw.

“With the support of the teachers and the PTA, the school board headed by businessman Robert Russell, Member of Parliament Dr Horace Chang and his wife, and the councillor for the area Senator Charles Sinclair, we went in and did a full behaviourial modification.”

The intervention, he emphasised, has been paying rich dividends.

“Since then we have seen significant changes in the behaviour of students, and there are also improvements in academics and sports,” said Shaw, adding that there has also been a marked increase in the number of GSAT passes for traditional high schools.

He said plans are also in place to undertake a raft of other improvement projects at the school, including the refurbishing of the multi-purpose court and the painting of buildings, as well as the expansion of the guidance counseling department, the expansion of the computer centre, and the creation of a homework centre to serve the wider community.