WESTERN BUREAU:

The new school year got off to a less-than-seamless start in western Jamaica yesterday as several institutions were still trying to cope with setbacks from leaking roofs, shortage of furniture and inadequate classroom space.

In St. Elizabeth, the Bogue Primary School will remain closed for another week to allow contractors to complete refurbishing work. The decision was taken at a meeting of school officials on Sunday night.

Leaking roofs and poor sanitary conditions told a sad tale at Burnt Savannah and Thornton primary schools, while students at Balaclava High faced severe shortage of classroom space and furniture.

No disruptions

Except for a demonstration by residents protesting poor road conditions between Bluefields and Whitehouse in Westmore-land, there were no reports of any disruption at schools in the parish.

Finishing touches were being made to the Greenland United Church Hall, in Hanover, which will house the 400 students of the Middlesex Corner Primary. The school's structure is being renovated to include the construction of a new classroom wing.

The Hopewell High School opened for the first time yesterday for registration.

Joyce Irving, the principal, said the absence of electricity would not affect operations and that the situation is to be addressed later this week.

At the new Rhodes Hall High School in Orange Bay, construction was still in progress, but secretary/bursar, Odene Smith, gave the assurance that the school would be ready for its intake by next Monday.

"Every effort is being done to have electricity connected at the institutions," said Calvin G. Brown, project manager in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Matter before court

Several parents turned up at Maldon High School in St. James as a show of support for principal Derrick Wilson, who has been stripped of the post by the Ministry of Education. The matter is now before the court as he has appealed the decision.

Students who will be accommodated in the new classroom at Howard Cooke Primary School in Montego Bay were without seating owing to a lack of furniture.

The majority of schools in Trelawny reopened without major hiccups.

A demonstration planned in the Martha Brae community, where Holland and William Knibb high schools are located, was aborted as remedial work to improve road conditions in the area got under way, on Sunday.