ST MARY, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for St Mary Central, Omar Newell, is calling on corporate Jamaica to help develop the automotive programme at Horace Clarke High School into a centre of excellence for technical and vocational education.

Newell made the appeal during the handover of a 2011 Mazda Familiar to the school on Monday, the second such vehicle that he donated to the automotive department.

The MP shared that the vehicle will be used to prepare students for external examinations and may also support the development of a driver-education programme.

“Students need the opportunity to work on an actual vehicle and apply what they are learning in the classroom. Every part of this car can become a lesson, including the faults that they will have to diagnose and repair,” Newell said.

He noted that the automotive laboratory still needs modern tools, diagnostic equipment and improved workstations.

The MP invited companies involved in vehicle sales, repairs, parts, tyres, lubricants, insurance and transportation to support the programme.

“Companies regularly speak about the difficulty of finding properly trained workers. Horace Clarke High can help prepare those workers, but the school needs the right equipment. I am asking the private sector to work with us and invest in these students,” he said.

“My vision is for Horace Clarke High to become known for technical competence and cultural excellence. I want students to leave here with practical skills, confidence and a genuine path towards employment or further education,” he said.

The initiative forms part of Newell’s wider education programme in St Mary Central.

Sixty-five tertiary students recently received approximately $3.1 million in grants through the Constituency Development Fund. Close to an additional $7 million has also been commissioned to tertiary students, book vouchers, backpacks and other educational assistance.

Newell also contributed $350,000 to the track and field programme at St Mary High School.

“I promised during the election campaign that I would work to transform Horace Clarke High. The work has started, and I intend to keep pushing until the improvement can be seen in the school’s facilities, its programmes and the achievements of its students,” Newell said.