Transfer requests hit West Kingston schools

Glenda Anderson, Staff Reporter

THERE is no back-to-school last-minute rush, no long list of must-have school items for some children and their parents in West Kingston. Only a tense wait for tomorrow morning.

On a deserted street in Hannah Town, Monica Austin waits, sitting less than a stone's throw from St. Anne's High School, Drummond Street, where her son, Kemar, begins 11th grade in the new school year which starts this week . Her story is similar to that of many other parents in the area who are unsure when or even whether school will re-open.

"Every morning I go over there an' ask and I don't hear nothing yet. Some people say that the school not going to open in September, but nobody say anything to us; we don't have any meeting. Mi have two young ones going round to St. Anne's Primary and is the same problem, no meeting.

"We just hearing the rumours. Wi will jus' have to wait until Monday (tomorrow) and see wha' happen," she says.

She has made no big plans as she says the violence in the area has affected her livelihood.

"To tell you the truth mi nuh really make no big big preparation for dem going back to school; mi not even pay school fee yet. I fill out part of the cost-sharing form and take it in, but I don't really have no money to buy anything. Because of the violence nutten nah sell," she said.

The narrow street is almost empty, while on adjoining lanes the gutters are overgrown. There are no children playing in the streets - just calm.

"No one not coming into the house to antagonise we, is just the stray shots wi 'fraid for. An wi worry over dese things," she continues, "both where to live and how to send de children back to school."

Meanwhile, a scramble is on for many parents who have chosen to make last-minute transfers for their children registered at schools in West Kingston. This is in response to the recurring violent outbreaks across the political borders in recent weeks.

According to a teacher at the St. Anne's High School, the pleas for transfer have flooded in from both registered students as well as newcomers in Grade 7 or lower school. While she was unable to give actual figures, she said that a large percentage of grade seven and GSAT awardees were asking to be "released" from that school.

A report in The Gleaner on Friday quoted Ewan Reid, principal of St. Anne's, as saying that of 147 GSAT awardees, only 20 had registered so far and another 20 in the upper school had requested transfers.

But for schools like All Saints Infant School, Hannah Town, and principal Linnette James, the situation is still uncertain.

"My fear is that because of the unrest quite a few are not going to turn up. What we are hearing so far is that some parents have sent their children away to the country, or they are just not coming at all. The thing is that they will not give up their places outright but everybody is watching to see what will happen. We won't be able to get the true picture until September," she said.

The infant school which takes in students aged three to six years old, serves several of the communities in the western area of Kingston including Hannah Town, Denham Town and Rema. The daily attendance is 150 students, with at least 50 coming from Hannah Town.

In Denham Town, however, a group of parents were optimistic about the situation.

Sophia Graham was firm, "Yeah man, everything a go normal Monday morning, mi nah change my son an' him just inna him second year."

She explained that the violent upsurges were periodical.

"It always normal and calm inna school time, it soon die down."

The situation will not deter, Kemar Campbell, a 16-year-old student at St. Anne's High School, who said he had no fear about going back to school.

"Mi nuh feel 'fraid because mi born inna gunshot, mi hear dem all the time," he said. However, he has a wish for peace. "... Mi woulda want dem fi stop fire di shot dem still or if dem send out di police, dat would help."

Like him, there are some people in West Kingston with a fervent determination: "War or nuh war, school haffi gwaan." That was the consensus among them.

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