MANDEVILLE , Manchester — Stakeholders at the Bellefield High School, a few miles north east of here, are eagerly awaiting the removal of the school from the shift system following a commitment that development work will begin for 20 new classrooms to be built.

The commitment which was made by Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams at last Friday’s opening ceremony of a new classroom block at the school was met with applause by scores of teachers and students.

With a population of about 1,400 students, many of whom were adversely affected by the disadvantages of remote learning over the last two years, the commitment for the new classrooms, a staffroom, science lab, two computer labs and restroom facilities, is welcome news.

Minister Williams said the school was among those assessed by the World Bank and prioritised to be removed from the shift system.

“We have committed to begin the development work for Bellefield High School in this upcoming financial year 2022/2023,” she said.

She said that Friday’s opening of four news classrooms at the school will accommodate approximately 300 students daily.

She added that the Government is committed to eliminating the shift system at a cost of $8 billion.

“I truly understand the plight of our shift schools. Thirty-seven schools still remain on shift even in 2022 and as a Government we are committed, over time, to remove all those schools from the shift system,” she said.

“We have developed a plan already. The cost of doing that will be approximately $8 billion, so that tells you that this will be a multi-year endeavour for us. We are committed to doing that, because we understand that in order to get to the first shift the children have to wake up very early and those on the second shift have to leave school late to get home,” she added.

Principal of Bellefield High Paul Grant said the school used its resources and skills to begin the vision of coming off the shift system spending about $26 million.

While admitting that the shift system was a brilliant idea conceptualised in the 1970s “providing more spaces with a growing school age cohort. It was (a) panacea to the situation then”.

He said students have been at a disadvantage with the shift system.

“(There is) poor retention, restlessness, absenteeism and academic fatigue. In addition the issue of safety is always before us due to the students leaving their homes so early in the morning for the morning shift and leaving school reaching home late after the afternoon shift, especially if they reside distances away from school,” he said.

“As a school there is a unified vision of coming off the shift system,” he added.

He commended technically skilled teachers who were essential to the planning and construction of the new classroom block.

Three teachers from the building construction department – Okiene Dennis, Ian Christie, and Christopher McIntosh – drew a plan for eight classrooms with offices, which was submitted to the requisite agencies and approved.

Former Member of Parliament and current opposition senator Peter Bunting said that given the learning loss experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is a great opportunity to take the school off the shift system.

“Given the learning loss of COVID isn’t it a greater priority to ensure that we catch up (with) those students,” he said.

He said there should be greater focus on getting schools off the shift system than the proposed Sixth-Form Pathways Programme.

“I don’t have a problem with (the programme) in principle, but given where we are I would really like to see a priority put on taking Bellefield High off the shift system,” he said.

The new initiative, slated to start in September 2022, is part of the Ministry of Education’s implementation of a seven-year high-school programme.

The ministry said it allows for students who complete grade 11 to enroll and pursue a two-year course of study with alternative opportunities alongside the traditional sixth-form curriculum.

Minister Williams in response to Senator Bunting’s concern said the ministry is committed to providing additional opportunities for students who are not able to take advantage of the traditional Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations programme.

“… So that at the end of the additional two years they have the skills necessary to enter into the world of work and begin their lives,” she said.