MIDDLE QUARTERS, St Elizabeth — Describing tents as heat traps, Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School Principal Pauvine Watson-Barrett is insisting that all of her 252 students must be housed in ventilated classrooms when the new academic year opens next Monday.

“The tent cannot be used; it is extremely hot. We tried to use the tent last academic year. We had grade one initially in the tent and after the [Primary Exit Profile] exam we had grade six going to the tent and giving grade one a feel of a classroom space,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

“However, due to the heat the children were not able to use the tent for the entire day. They had to be out of it by midday. Right now it is hotter than what we were experiencing last academic year, so I don’t see where I can use that tent to host the classroom,” she added.

Principal of Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School Pauvine Watson-Barrett speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Last week, the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology and The University of the West Indies Climate Studies Group Mona advised governments, businesses, farmers and households across the region to step up preparations for potentially severe climate extremes as El Niño conditions are and set to intensify the hot and dry conditions already affecting parts of the Caribbean.

Both entities warned that the region should remain particularly vigilant as August to October marks the peak of the Caribbean’s heat season.

This year’s El Niño is on track to be the strongest on record, threatening to unleash extreme weather across the globe and make 2027 the hottest recorded year by far.

Inside the tent at Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth, which was previously used as a classroom. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

Under such severe heat, tents would not be suitable to serve as classrooms for children.

On Monday, when asked how all her students would be accommodated, Principal Watson-Barrett said the National Education Trust (NET) had promised to deploy temporary wooden classrooms, but up to Monday afternoon there was no structure or even foundation to give assurance of the buildings.

“I am yet to see them. Between the Ministry of Education, NET, and the contractor, they promised that we would be getting two buildings each holding two classrooms, so that would be a total of four classrooms. Up to this morning (Monday) there was no updated information. The contractor said he is waiting on NET to give approval for the building of the [wooden] classrooms,” Watson-Barrett told the Observer.

Workmen repairing the roof on one of the classroom blocks at Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School on Monday.

She said the school is exploring two options to accommodate students if the temporary buildings are not erected in time.

“We will have to look at rotation and/or merging of classrooms into one room. For instance, last academic year I had a classroom with two grade two classes and they were placed in one room and then the teachers team-teach,” she said.

“Because of the heat, also, I am not considering a shift system. Imagine coming to school at 12 o’clock to start classes in this heat on a shift system,” added Watson-Barrett.

She said the school is expected to have seven accessible classrooms based on ongoing construction work.

The area where a deteriorating classroom block was demolished last week at Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School.

“Currently, we have one block that is 85 per cent complete. That block can host two classrooms. The other two blocks that are available are currently being worked on and we are hopeful that by this Friday those two blocks will be completely cleaned and ready for the opening of school, September 7,” she said.

A deteriorating building had to be demolished last week at the school.

“That would leave me wanting five more classrooms to accommodate the other students, because as of last week I lost a building that had four classrooms, the guidance counselling room and the library on it,” said Watson-Barrett.

Students move about at Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School on Monday amid orientation in preparation for the new academic year. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

She said Middle Quarters Primary and Infant will be receiving students from the now shuttered Giddy Hall Primary School, three-and-a-half kilometres away.

“Even without the inclusion of the Giddy Hall Primary children I would be short of classrooms. I have 170 students expected to attend school in the primary department with an additional 29 from Giddy Hall Primary School, seeing that the school was consolidated and we are the receiving school,” she said while pointing out that five academic and two auxiliary staff were moved to her school from Giddy Hall.

“The ministry has made the decision to close down smaller schools based on the enrolment there… For the infant department we are expecting to have about 52 students,” she added.

When asked about the availability of potable water, Watson-Barrett said the school has been getting reliable water supply from the National Water Commission.

“Currently, I am seeing where improvement has been made on the water system; it is still being worked on, but whenever it is locked off we purchase water,” she said.

“During Hurricane Melissa [last October] the drums were blown off the building. However, we have a large metal tank that we store water in. Those drums that were blown down are yet to be replaced,” she added.