West Kingston schools to reopen next Monday
Published:Wednesday | June 2, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
Classes will resume at three public schools in west Kingston next Monday despite the ongoing operation by the security forces in Tivoli Gardens.
The schools - Denham Town High, Denham Town Primary and Tivoli Gardens Comprehensive - will be opened to administrative and ancillary staff tomorrow to start preparations for Monday.
Education Minister Andrew Holness, who announced the decision yesterday after a tour of the schools, said he has been advised that the threat level is not "as high as it was before".
However, he said parents have the right to gauge the safety conditions before sending their children to school.
"I would never seek to take that away from them," Holness said.
"My duty is to coordinate with the security forces to make sure that the path to the school is safe ... . At the end of the day, parents retain the right of making that decision," he added.
Holness also disclosed that he will make an announcement today about the Grade Four Literacy Test and the Grade Three Diagnostic Test, which are scheduled for later this month.
Selena Nicholas, a student of Denham Town Primary who is preparing for the grade four test, got to meet the education minister, but her mother, Cecelia Clarke, said her daughter's preparations were not going well.
"She is slow in English and misses these extra classes," said Clarke, adding that classes should resume as quickly as possible.
Holness said based on what he saw during the tour, there appeared to be minimal damage to the schools' infrastructure. In addition, some of the schools, including Denham Town Primary, were still occupied by soldiers or military equipment.
The minister said he would ask the army and the Police High Command to vacate these premises immediately.
Holness said he would also meet with school administrators today to offer counselling and go over plans for Monday's reopening.
"Dealing with trauma will be a critical part of their role in the weeks ahead," he said.