MIDDLE QUARTERS, St Elizabeth — A week after Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School Principal Pauvine Watson-Barrett insisted that all her students must be accommodated in ventilated classrooms — not tents — the construction of four wooden temporary structures was on in earnest at the start of the academic year on Monday.

“[Workmen] are in the process of building two spaces consisting of two classrooms, so we will have a total of four temporary classrooms,” Watson-Barrett told the Jamaica Observer while pointing out that the school will utilise the space until at least five new classrooms are built.

“I was saying I don’t want to operate school under the tent and I refused to — because we experienced it last [academic] year and I know what can happen — so I am very grateful for the temporary classroom. I am just waiting for them to be finished,” she added.

Workmen constructing one of four wooden temporary classrooms at Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School on Monday.

Only grades one, two, and three were facilitated at the school on Monday.

“We will be having grades four, five, and six in the latter part of the week. When the temporary spaces are ready for next week we will have a full roll-out,” the school leader explained.

She commended the National Education Trust for fulfilling its promise of erecting the temporary classrooms amid the enrolment of students from the now-shuttered Giddy Hall Primary School.

“I am very much appreciative. I am feeling great that my plea has gone out and it is being answered. The students and staff from Giddy Hall Primary are adapting well, because last week when we had the grade one students for their orientation we invited the Giddy Hall students for them to get familiar with the space,” Watson-Barrett said.

She said the school’s population of 252 students could be more by next week.

“It seems as if we are increasing, based on what I am seeing with new students coming in,” she said.

— Kasey Williams