MAGGOTTY, St Elizabeth — The construction of eight wooden temporary classrooms funded by the National Education Trust (NET) at Maggotty High in northern St Elizabeth has provided space and much-needed relief for the school leading to a discontinuation of the rotational system there.

“Since January of this year we really have been having a rotational model, so we would only have a few grades in school. With us getting these eight classrooms we have combined some classes at the grade 10 and 11 levels. Now we are able to facilitate everybody every day. Last term our students were left behind. We can’t afford for that to happen this term,” Principal Sean Graham told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

“We are more than grateful for the temporary classrooms; it is helpful and it will put the students in a better place to catch up on their education,” he added.

Maggotty High School Principal Sean Graham displaying one of the wooden temporary classrooms provided by the National Education Trust. (Photos: Naphtali Junior)

Maggotty High was battered by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa last October destroying classroom blocks and ripping roofs from numerous buildings on the school compound.

In August when the Observer visited the school Graham was considering extending the rotational system to accommodate just under 1,400 students due to the need for close to 10 classrooms.

He said a proposal was sent to NET not to use a waterlogged area where four classrooms were slated to be constructed.

“We have requested that the agricultural block be abandoned for rebuilding classrooms based on the soil type,” Graham said.

The designated area for the construction of four new classrooms at Maggotty High

He pointed to another section of the school which is being prepared for the construction of the agriculture science classrooms.

“We want to build at least four classrooms here, but the more the merrier if we could get six classrooms. I am hoping that by December [we will have the new classrooms] that is the ideal timeline. We are willing to [compromise] this term for a more optimistic future, especially for the children,” he said.

According to Graham, only grade seven students were facilitated at school on the first day of the new academic year.

Grade seven students seated inside a classroom at Maggotty High School on Monday

“From Monday to Wednesday we will only have grade seven students coming in to settle their registration, see their classes and get to meet their teachers. Thursday and Friday we will welcome the grades nine and 10 students,” said Graham.

“We want to make sure that when grades eight and 11 students come in everything is settled, especially the temporary classrooms. The grade eight students will be the ones placed at the temporary classrooms, so next week we should [have all students] every day,” he added.

He said ventilation is being installed to suitably accommodate students in the temporary classroom amid intense heat.

“We had put in things for ventilation. We have fans there. We hope the students will take care of the facility that is provided. We, too, as a school, will respond to any needs that they have. We have a responsibility to provide support also,” he said.

The school, which has 100 staff members, is also undertaking some infrastructural works on its own including the extension of the staff parking area.

Graham said enrolment has been affected by the movement of some students.

“Some parents had sought transfers, because they were uncertain as to what was happening. We expect to return to 1,400 during the course of the school year,” he said.