Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Grades seven to nine students at the José Marti Technical High School in St. Catherine, are still operating on a staggered system, despite promises from the Ministry of Education and Youth that a building to accommodate them would have been ready by the end of September.

"I am more than perturbed because students are losing a lot of time from school," said a frustrated Bevar Moodie, principal of the institution.

José Marti Technical High is to receive 17 new classrooms with science and reading laboratories. The Education Ministry had promised that nine of the classrooms, which are to provide space for some 360 students, were to be ready by the third week in September because the contractors had problems sourcing cement.

However, this promise was not fulfilled and the Education Ministry then assured the school that the additional spaces would have been ready by the end of September.

"I am not at all pleased with what is going on, we want the classrooms to be ready so we can settle the students," Mr. Moodie told The Gleaner.

Students suffering

With a population of 1,700 students, the school's administration was forced to stagger the grades seven to nine students. Grades seven students sometimes attend classes two days per week, while grades eight and nine are present for three days.

When contacted yesterday, Lauriston Wilson, director of project management and technical services in the Ministry of Education and Youth, said he was expecting a full report from the technical officers today, noting that the contractors were pushing for a near completion date.

In August, Maxine Henry-Wilson, Minister of Education and Youth announced that a dual school is to be operated on the grounds of the José Marti Technical High School, with the introduction of additional school spaces for grades seven to nine students.

Population increase

Currently, there are 14 technical schools in the island, eight of which cater for grades seven to 11 students, while the remaining six cater to grades nine to 11.

Up to a year ago, José Marti facilitated grades nine to 11 pupils. The institution, however, currently accepts students from grades seven to 11 because of the demand for school spaces in St. Catherine.