Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

Chairman of the Middlesex Corner Primary School board, Clive Bucknor (left), suggests how best to utilise plywood in constructing partitions to sections of the Greenland United Church Hall in Hanover where 400 students will have their lessons taught until repair work to Middlesex Corner Primary is completed. Looking on are Millicent Malcolm, board member, and Beresford Wood, vice-chairman. - Noel Thompson/Freelance Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

About 400 students from the Middlesex Corner Primary School in Hanover will have to wait a while longer before they will be able to use that facility again.

This has come in the wake of extensive repair work being carried out on the roof of the 77-year-old building, as well as the construction of a new classroom wing to meet the demands of the growing school population.

Consequently, the students are to be relocated to the Greenland United Church Hall, which is still under construction.

On Monday, when The Gleaner visited the community, workmen were undertaking final touches to the facility to have it ready in time for the students sometime this week.

"The school was built in 1929 to accommodate 150 students and, in 1961, an additional wing was built to accommodate another 60 students. But as time went by, it has outgrown its capacity and now has an enrolment of 400," said Beresford Wood, vice-chairman of the school's board. "No repairs were ever done to the school and it has now become very necessary as the roof is badly in need of repairs."

Roof damaged

He added: "The roof was damaged during Hurricane Ivan, so the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) tendered a contract to have it repaired and to implement other necessary infrastructure. The board, however, recommended that the existing building be strengthened and additional classrooms be constructed on top, but they forego that recommendation."

Mr. Wood, along with chairman of the school's board, Clive Bucknor, has given the assurance that the hall will be ready and all furniture should be in place this week.

The Greenland United Church Hall was originally intended to house a basic school and a skills-training centre. Board member Millicent Malcolm said that, as soon as the repair work is completed at the Middlesex Corner Primary School, the church would return to its original plan.