MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The leadership of Bellefield High is looking forward to ending the shift system there, but the school needs two additional classroom blocks following Thursday’s opening of eight classrooms.

Principal Paul Grant said the new eight-classroom block — with five offices and a rest room —was built and furnished at an estimated cost of $75 million through independent funds.

“We need 16 classrooms, in addition to what we construct on our own, to comfortably accommodate our 1,400 lovely students on a whole day mode of operation. We have proven that with this construction small steps can make us and take us to our destination,” said Grant.

“The dream continues in hope that one day — and I hope I live to see it — the Bellefield High School will be taken off shift system,” added Grant

He pointed to the school’s success in external examinations while highlighting the disadvantage of the shift system.

“We set in motion interventions to transform our 1,400 students across both shifts to have them sit the same CXC examinations as their traditional high school counterparts in five years,” he said.

“I wish to open your eyes to the reality of operating a shift school with the morning shift starting at 6:50 am to 11:50 am and the afternoon shift starting at noon to 5:00 pm, vis-à-vis a whole day school starting at 8:00 am to 2:30 pm or 3:00 pm. We are left with five operational hours per shift minus lunch and registration that takes us now to four hours of contact time per day per shift,” added Grant.

He said his school’s efforts can be described as miracles when compared to schools which are not on the shift system.

“Each traditional or upgraded high school that operates [for] the whole day… has two and a half hours more of contact time than we do. This is our reality and this has been happening for years. Despite this we have been churning out results year after year.

“We perform at the Bellefield High School miracles, as our sessions are shorter to facilitate the curriculum. Additionally, whole day schools have the classroom space to do our extra class lessons after dismissal. In a shift school of 1,400 [students] where vocational labs are used as regular classrooms, this renders it almost impossible to institute meaningful extra lessons as interventions, but yet again we do our best,” said Grant.

He said the Ministry of Education’s Region Five office recently commended the school in a letter regarding students’ performance in external examinations.

“[Of] the total numbers of students who sat the CSEC [Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate] examinations, we have 36 grade ones, 177 grade twos, and 259 grade threes. That is result,” said Grant.

He was supported by Susan Nelson Smith, regional director at the Ministry of Education’s Region Five, who lauded the school for its progress.

“Each time I come to Bellefield High it is to celebrate the progress of an institution that is on a successful path. Most importantly, I want to acknowledge the leadership of this institution…We applaud schools like Bellefield High who will take the initiative based on the needs of the institution to ensure the school continues on a path of success,” Smith said.

She also commended Grant for his stewardship of the school.

“When you talk about transformational leadership this is your principal, Mr Paul Grant. I know… he doesn’t do it alone. He has very able staff that support him and a board [of directors] which embraces the vision, because many times we have issues where the board and the principal do not see eye to eye,” she said as Grant was presented with a trophy and plaque for his exemplary leadership at Bellefield High.

Nelson Smith also pointed to Bellefield High’s staff influence in shaping students.

“The value that they add to their educational journey cannot be compared to a Munro [College] or a Manchester [High], it is unfair to make that comparison. I love all my schools, but I value the ones who take the students from point A to point B with teachers who are dedicated [and] committed,” she said.

The regional director, who represented Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, reiterated a commitment to have schools removed from the shift system.

“We are committed as a ministry that by 2027/2028 all schools will be taken off shift and you can hold me to that one,” she said.

However, chairman of the school board Charles Benbow is optimistic that the institution will see the end of the shift system sooner.

“We need 16 more classrooms. We did it without any form of financing from the ministry — none. We did it on our own. The money that is left you have to keep as retained earnings for a rainy day or for unforeseen events and we want to get this school off the shift system by the next academic year,” said Benbow.

In the meantime, Grant is appealing for assistance to construct covering for a walkway linking the new block for grades 10 and 11 to the rest of the school.

“We are seeking the kind assistance of anyone in construction of a canopy or a dome linking block B to the new corridor, as when it rains our teachers and students are unable to traverse the corridor,” said Grant.

Reverend Dr Brad Rostad (left) presenting an Appreciation Award plaque to Bellefield High School Principal Paul Grant.

Ministry of Education’s Region Five Director Susan Nelson Smith presenting the ministry’s Award of Excellence trophy to Bellefield High School Principal Paul Grant.

Inside one of the eight newly opened classrooms at Bellefield High School