ST JAMES, Jamaica – The Cedric Titus High School in Clarks Town, Trelawny will soon be able to accommodate more students as ground was officially broken for the construction of a new classroom block at the institution.

The project is being undertaken as part of the Ministry of Education and Youth’s Primary and Secondary Infrastructure Project (PSIP), with oversight by the National Education Trust (NET).

It will include the construction of four classrooms, a science lab and industrial arts rooms. Updated sewage facilities, electrical works and plumbing repairs will also be done as part of the project.

It is expected to cost a total of $220 million, with construction to be completed in 10 months.

In her remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony held on February 13, Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams, said the project is an acknowledgement of the work done at the school over the years, which has contributed to its growth and the respect accorded by the wider community.

“[The works] are all to bring the school into a new era, you have already earned a strong reputation as stalwarts in the performing arts, sports and agriculture, serving western Jamaica well and producing citizens of exceptional class and skill,” Williams stated.

“We are here to ensure that you continue to rise and that in time you will become the school of choice among students all across Jamaica, not just in Trelawny,” she added.

The Minister noted that with the construction of the new classrooms, a robust sixth form pathways programme should be implemented at the school, so that the students will have access to grades 12 and 13.

“We are hoping that the existing programmes at the school will be enhanced and if not already implemented, we would love for you to consider the multimedia projects [such as] digital art and storytelling, artistic expression and technological skills,” she stated.

The sixth form pathways programme allows students who complete grade 11, to pursue an additional two-year course of study with alternative opportunities, alongside the traditional sixth-form curriculum.

For her part, Executive Director of NET, Latoya Harris – Ghartey, noted that the Trust will ensure that the infrastructure constructed will be climate resilient.

She further stated that the NET will endeavour to assist the school in any other way possible and ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.

“We are [also] looking to Cedric Titus to see what else can be done to ensure that we leave the school a better place. Time and budget are important because we must manage the resources that have been entrusted in our hands by you the taxpayers and ensure that what we leave here is a quality facility. We have no room for errors and as we transform, we must ensure that what we do now, will withstand the test of time,” she emphasised.

In the meantime, Principal of Cedric Titus High, Joan Higgins, said that upon completion of the classroom block, the school will be accepting more students and expanding the institution’s skills training programme.

The current skill offerings at the school include electrical works, plumbing, home economics and food preparation.

“We are seeking to expand the industrial arts [programme], we want to ensure that we include TVET (technical and vocational education and training) areas such as cosmetology and getting some of our boys to do barbering,” she added.

Higgins further stated that the school is also seeking to improve the literacy skills of some pupils.

“We are not just focusing on the technical part of the development of the school, this block will also help us to ensure that these students get to the reading level that they need to be,” she said.

Higgins noted that since coming off the shift system in January 2022, the school has had challenges accommodating its population of 510 students.

She however said the school now has an air of excitement, as students are anticipating the new classroom block.

“They are looking for the change [at the school], they are happy that they are included in the rebranding of this institution,” she shared.

-JIS