SPRING GARDEN, Trelawny — The Spring Garden Primary and Infant School in Trelawny is in dire need of financial support to renovate its existing building and to relocate its infant department. Plus urgent repairs are required to fix the leaking roof of the school’s plant, which serves over 205 students.

Grace Hills-Malcolm, principal of the school, said that the roof of the present structure leaks badly, noting that whenever it rains students are severely affected.

“The main project that I would like to invite corporate Jamaica to assist us with is to renovate the existing cottage, so that we can have a separate infant department,” she explained. “In addition, the roof, which currently leaks, needs to be repaired.”

Hills-Malcolm stated that if these changes were implemented, then the school would have a more positive learning environment.

“The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) states that the infant department should be separate from the primary Department; however, we are not able to do that now based on what was built. Therefore, we are challenged to meeting the standards of the ECC,” she pointed out.

The principal also noted that the current situation is so appalling that some parents have pulled their children from the school.

“We really need an infant department that is secluded, and, we have the space. However the building needs to be renovated,” she revealed.

Hills-Malcolm informed that interested individuals can contribute to the renovation of the cottage by donating to the initiative under the Pledge2Build Project, which is mounted on the ISupportJamaica crowd -unding platform.

Phillip Lindsay, operations officer, ISupportJamaica, at the Jamaica National (JN) Group, said that crowd-funding is beneficial, as it is a positive method to gain exposure for projects, or business ventures, which need to raise financial support.

Lindsay explained further that contributing to any initiative via the platform is simple and secure.

In addition, donations can also be made via credit card, JN Live e-banking, by visiting any JN branch or MoneyShop, and through interbank transfers.

The Spring Garden Primary and Infant School, formerly Spring Garden Ebenezer Elementary School, was first instituted in 1890 by Sir John Peter Grant under the reform of the Jamaica Baptist Union. It was located on the ground floor of the Spring Garden Ebenezer Church and governed by the Jamaica Baptist Union in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

In 1972, the school came under the full control of the Government of Jamaica and a new plant was built at its present location. This new school plant was opened in January 1978.