SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Situated in the foothills of Santa Cruz, Park Mountain Primary and Infant School continues to excel despite its many challenges which include no water supply, spotty Internet access and the desperate need for two additional classrooms.

The school was placed in the national spotlight on Monday when one of its students, Jasonnia Beadles, was named the top primary student in the 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) attaining a score of 394.2.

While basking in Jasonnia’s success on Thursday Principal Carlene Williams-Heath told the Jamaica Observer that the school, which has a population of 466 students, has been struggling for the past eight months since it was hit by the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.

“The primary [section has] about 366 students, so the infant has about 100 students. We have no [fibre] Internet and no [piped] water. We have to be using Starlink, which we purchased and we have been paying for that. For water we have to be trucking it here now, because we have been having some issues with water. I was told that it is back in the community, but we are not seeing it as yet,” said Williams-Heath as she lamented being forced to purchase trucked water.

Principal of Park Mountain Primary and Infant School Carlene Williams-Heath speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Thursday. Kasey Williams

“[It is] very expensive and by [the time] we receive that water, as you look we are out of water again. And so sometimes we have to dismiss [classes] earlier than we would want to and of course funds which we should use elsewhere has to be used to buy water,” added Williams-Heath.

She pointed out that despite the challenges Park Mountain continues to defy the odds.

“We are resilient here and sometimes I go around and I see the teachers working so hard with very little. I just have to say, ‘Boy, I am blessed with the best,’” said Williams-Heath.

Like many homes and schools in western Jamaica, Park Mountain was reconnected to the national electricity grid in February after Melissa devastated the Jamaica Public Service Company’s distribution lines.

“We received a generator in December, but because of the gas cost and everything, we had to dismiss [classes] earlier,” reflected the principal.

The road leading to Park Mountain Primary and Infant School is riddled with potholes. Kasey Williams

She further pointed out that with almost 500 students, the school is bursting at its seams.

According to Williams-Heath, the Ministry of Education, through the National Education Trust, has promised to build two classrooms at the school and she is “hoping that will materialise, because I am looking forward to that”.

“Grade five is without a classroom. There are some retrofit areas that we use, but grade five really has no classrooms,” she added.

Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, during a visit to the institution on Thursday, acknowledged that Park Mountain is a small school that has been struggling with space.

Minister of Education Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon (second left) greets members of staff during her visit to Park Mountain Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth on Thursday. At left is the school’s principal Carlene Williams-Heath. Photo: JIS

“This is just an exceptional school in the mountains of St Elizabeth; great leadership, great parents, and great students. When I saw that the highest ranked primary student came from this school I was very happy, because I know St Elizabeth was really affected by the hurricane. And so, to see the resilience and that of this particular school – because… when I visited the last time they were talking about things that they are doing, the mathematics and English initiatives and then to come and see the results of all of those programmes – is amazing,” said Morris Dixon.

In the meantime, Williams-Heath said another challenge facing the school is the deplorable condition of the road leading to it.

“The road is rough. We need attention for the road right now. It was worse and a parent with some help from [Councillor Christopher] Williams fixed that lower part of the road. [But] we still need help, so that when September comes we will be better able to return to school with better road condition,” said Williams-Heath as she argued that there is a need for safety measures on the road.

“We are keen to improve safety on the road and we remind the students daily, but there is also a need for a pedestrian crossing for the students. Sometimes the ones who have to walk down to the main I get really worried for them. We need a pedestrian crossing there. We also need a traffic warden,” added Williams-Heath.