Minister of transport and mining, and Member of Parliament for Clarendon Central Mike Henry, has reached out to Denbigh High School in the parish with a $1-million donation for remedial work on a section of its building.

Henry, who was on a recent visit to the school, was told that the administrators had sent a request to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information seeking $4 million to correct problems affecting more than 300 students on one block.

Henry said in addition to his contribution from the Constituency Development Fund he will be encouraging contractors to partner with the school, and if they cannot do the work free of cost they should allow him to pay them within two years from his constituency allocation.

“I hope that the procurement exercise of the country allows me to move it in that direction, because we can’t have debris falling on children,” Henry said.

Welcoming the gesture, principal of the institution, Janice Julal said the entire school community is appreciative of the move, noting that the particular area of the building was constructed in 1969 and has structural issues.

“The donation from Mr Henry will go a far way in having our students in a safe environment,” she said.

Chairman of the school, Cecil Morgan, while thanking Henry for the support, said they will be forging additional partnerships with community members to ensure that the institution remains on the growth path and provides high-quality education for the students.

Denbigh High School, located in the parish capital of May Pen, has 1,600 students and more than 80 teachers.