The much-sought-after infant department of the Glendevon Primary and Infant School in St James, which have been turning away prospective students because of a lack of space, should have a new building of their own in time for the new academic year.

Approximately 80 students are being hosted in four classrooms within the primary section of the education facility, and with the institution being highly recognised and sought-after, many parents have expressed disappointment that they are unable to send their children to the school.

“We have presently 80 infant students, and we still have to be turning away parents. They are coming because we are noted to be one of the best infant departments on the island,” boasted Lee Peynado, the acting principal of the institution, adding “it is really sad when we have to turn them [children] back, we would love to welcome them.”

In a bid to appease the disappointed parents and to increase enrolment, the school more than a year ago, reached out to Food for the Poor (FFP) for assistance in constructing a building. However, it was three weeks ago that approval came from the charitable organisation.

Since then, construction has started on the multimillion-dollar facility, and hopefully, the classrooms will be ready to accommodate more than 100 students within six months.

The building when completed will have five classrooms, an office for the principal, sickbay, bathrooms, kitchen and a play area.

School board chairman Norman Brown said having a new facility will guarantee a good start for the children.

“This is a community where there are lots of children and we want to afford them the best opportunity to leave the primary system as very bright kids so that they can function and gain the necessary educational levels in the secondary school and transition into tertiary. But the start is very important and with a facility like this being constructed, we will guarantee them a very strong start,” Brown argued.

In 2015, Brown said, the infant department of the school, which serves the inner-city communities of Glendevon, Paradise, Norwood, Salt Spring, Green Pond and other surrounding communities, was among the first Government-owned early childhood institution “to be recognised” by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).

Denise Smith, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president and board member, noted that the infant department is one of few such institutions in the area.

She argued that since the start of the infant department about six years ago, the output of the primary department has improved.

“Some of the passes that we used to get in GSAT [Grade Six Achievement Test] and so on would not put us into the traditional high schools. So, what we found out is that since we started having our own infant department, we have been increasing into all the traditional high schools…like Cornwall [College, Rusea’s [High School], Montego Bay High, Mount Alvernia and Herbert Morrison,” the PTA president explained.

Senior teacher and infant department coordinator, Donnyja Allen Thompson, said she and her staff are elated to know that pretty soon they will have a building of their own.

“I am very, very elated. Myself, my infant department staff and my community on a whole, we are very elated that our children will actually have a proper place to play, classrooms that are up-to-date, spacious and they will be in a space of their own and not traversing with the primary section of the school. So, they will be at a safe place and we are truly, truly happy and thankful for Food For The Poor to come on board with us on this initiative,” stated an elated Allen Thompson.

Nardeth Watson, the mother of four-year-old student Devoni Lee, was also happy that construction has started for the new building.

“More space was needed and I am happy that they are getting the new building and more space to get along and around,” she told the Observer West.