Millions to be spent to build, renovate schools in St Mary Western — Montague
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Millions of dollars will be spent to construct and renovate schools in the St Mary Western constituency of Robert Montague.
Among the projects to be undertaken is the construction of a new primary school in Jeffery Town. The Jeffery Town Primary School was destroyed by fire in 1996 and the roughly 100 students have been accommodated in temporary structures since.
Member of Parliament (MP) for St Mary Western, Robert Montague provided the update of the pending works during his recent contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives.
He said the Oracabessa High school will be getting eight new classrooms, an auditorium, staff room, offices, chemistry, biology and agriculture labs, multipurpose court, a sewage system, fencing, and a solar system. Some $49 million is currently being spent on designs, tests and approvals for the project.
Montague also shared that there will be a new block of 20 classrooms at the Oracabessa Primary school, a staffroom, canteen, offices, a library, computer lab, fencing, ramps and a solar system — a new school. A total of $60 million is being spent on designs, surveys, tests and approvals.
Montague said the Iona High school will be seeing a massive expansion that will include four new classrooms, an auditorium, staff rooms, four new labs, sewage system, ramps, fencing and a solar system. He said $45 million is being spent on pre-investment works.
Additionally, Tacky High School will be expanded once the process to purchase lands adjacent to the school is completed. Montague said the plan is to move the school to one campus, build more classrooms, staff room, labs and offices. He disclosed that the Sports Development Foundation will be building a gym and improving the playing field.
He told the House that “the best gift in education …is finally the construction of a new school in Jeffery Town, to replace the one that was destroyed by fire”.
“Some $30 million is being spent on pre-investment activities,” he added.
The Jamaica Labour Party MP said the funding for all the projects has gone through the public investment system and will be included in the next budget for work to start in 2025.
