Schools' overcrowding set to decline

By Glenda Anderson, Freelance Writer

OVERCROWDING AND surplus registration in schools are expected to be significantly reduced soon, as several schools in the Corporate Area implement tighter systems to address these problems.

While independent schools are affected also, the problem has been more acute for government schools which are instructed to provide for the needs of the communities in which they are located.

Errol Levy, regional director for Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Thomas, Ministry of Education, said that while schools were built with the intent of serving the communities from the immediate geographical area, if after they have exhausted their list there was still space, they could admit other students.

On the other hand, Mrs. Freda Jones, the Ministry's registrar for independent schools, said there was no related policy for private or independent schools. These may register students at any time depending on the demand.

For government schools however the registration period is in May. Responding to complaints about favouritism or early registration which apparently caught some parents by surprise, Mr. Levy said that the situation was changing.

"It's becoming less of a problem, partly because of parental vigilance and the establishment of regional offices. In this, principals now recognize that parents are not going to sit quietly and do nothing about over-registration. They can and do come into the offices to complain. In the case where schools start registering early, if the parent has information on this, the ministry can step in and ask that the records be made void".

According to Catherine Malcolm, acting principal of Half-Way Tree Primary School, her school has had to revisit its policy of admission and include several new features.

Parents are now asked to complete an extensive application form with a section to explain extenuating circumstances, provide proof of address, sign a consent form indicating that they are aware that the process is for selection only. The final decision is made by a committee made up of representatives of the parent body, the community, and the teaching staff.

The school also reserves the right to reject a student whose information is found to be false. She admitted that in previous years there had been a problem of pressure from parents to accept children even after the registration period had passed.

Also several schools along the major transportation route of Half-Way Tree and Cross Roads were flooded with requests because of their strategic locations.

Referring to instances when the schools had received more than 800 applicants, Mrs. Malcolm said it was trying to remain within ministry regulations of a ratio of one teacher to 35 students.

"Over the past years because of pressures, our Grade One has been overpopulated with at least 50 students. In the process some students got lost or end up without the basic reading skills", Mrs. Malcolm said.

At the Rollington Town Primary School, a numbering system is used to maintain the quota to be filled each year. As parents come in for registration they are given a numbered ticket. When the tickets are finished then registration ends. For several preparatory schools registration begins early in the year or at least a year ahead.

Recently, parents demonstrated outside the gates of the Spanish Town Primary School, St. Catherine demanding places for their children in an already crowded system.

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