SPALDING, Clarendon — Knox College has fast-tracked plans to construct a $200-million state-of-the-art building due to an increase in demand for its sixth-form programme, according to Principal Alexander Bourne.

The infrastructure is to comprise two multipurpose science labs, a computer lab, a digital library, four smart classrooms, two multipurpose classrooms, reading rooms, office space for staff and student leaders.

Speaking at last Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Bourne said Knox College is a symbol of excellence in the Jamaican educational landscape in many respects and noted that the National Education Inspectorate ranks the school as exceptional.

“The quality of education children receive significantly shapes their personal destinies and society’s capacity for peace, justice, freedom, creativity, innovation, economic growth and development,” he said.

“Now, more than ever in our history as a country, schools must be community-changing agencies instead of community-reflecting institutions. Our schools must equip learners with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, character and levels of awareness to allow them to become successful and productive citizens who contribute positively to society,” he added.

The sixth-form programme was restarted at the school in 2008.

“Since then, it has grown significantly and is now a highly sought after programme,” said Bourne.

He said there is an urgent need for space to accommodate students sitting the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

“When we began in 2008 we registered 39 students to sit seven CAPE subjects. We now have over 240 students registered in over 40 different CAPE units and we have to be artificially capping that number,” he said.

He added that the Knox College sixth-form block had long been conceptualised, but construction was not started due to limited funding.

He commended the school’s alumni for raising the “starting blocks of money” of $25 million as the school celebrates its 75th anniversary.

“We will begin construction [in] this our anniversary year. We have set ourselves a timeline of 18 months to complete this project,” he said.

Member of Parliament for Clarendon North Western Phillip Henriques and past students, namely Bourne; Chief of Defence Staff Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman; chairman of Knox Community College and Knox Trust Dunbar McFarlane; businessman Paul Lyn; chairman of the school’s 75th anniversary fund-raising committee Courtney Campbell collectively donated $1.5 million towards the project at Monday’s ground-breaking ceremony.

Campbell said many students from traditional high schools have enrolled in the sixth-form programme at Knox College.

“We are all proud of the fact that Knox College has maintained an excellent record of academic performance and holistic student development over our 75 years,” he said.

“Many students from other highly rated secondary schools are choosing to pursue their sixth-form studies at Knox. It is imperative therefore that we establish the facilities to offer more to the talented young people of this country,” he added.