Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterSCORES OF students from across the strife-torn communities of Arnett Gardens and Jones Town in South St. Andrew returned to their classrooms yesterday after a long summer break.
But teachers at the respective schools have described the turn out as "low".
"We had a 50 per cent turn out," principal of the Trench Town Primary School, Marlene Sullivan, told The Gleaner yesterday.
She said a number of parents have since spoken with her, indicating that because of the inclement weather they took the decision to the keep the children at home. At 7:35 a.m. only an infant girl and her father were seen on the school compound. The teachers were enjoying conversation in the staff room.
The situation was almost the same at the Iris Gelly Primary School on Avondale Avenue. Maureen Hamilton, a senior teacher at the institution said in some classes there was a 50 per cent and 75 per cent turnout.
UNSATISFACTORY
Apart from the low turn out, the condition in one of the classrooms was unsatisfactory. There were dirty broken windows and dusty benches. The walls also needed painting. The perimeter fencing that once kept the young children safely inside the school was gone. Only the iron posts were left standing.
The Gleaner understands that the mesh wire fencing was not stolen, but that the officials have been attempting to complete fixing the fence for several months now.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
At the Jones Town Primary School, a large number of parents were seen accompanying their young children to school in the early morning downpour. Because of the inclement weather the vice principal, Winnifred Tingling, had held the customary morning devotion in one of the classrooms. Devotion was usually held downstairs in the school yard.
Crime Officer for the Kingston West Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Derrick Knight and a small team were kept busy during the morning session visiting the schools.
"Everything so far is good; we have no reports of any incident," said DSP Knight.
Principal of the Charlie Smith High School, Dennis Kelly, said a number of first formers were absent yesterday. Apart from a few leaking roofs, the principal said everything was good.
At Trench Town High only first formers were expected to turn out yesterday, but up to minutes before 8:00 a.m. only a handfull of students, accompanied by their parents, had arrived.
