Students benefiting from extra classes programme

Hundreds of students who lost classroom time due to Hurricane Melissa are benefiting from an extra classes programme aimed at getting them back on track ahead of upcoming examinations.

The $10-million initiative, spearheaded by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) in collaboration with the education ministry and other partners, is targeted at more than 1,000 primary and secondary-level students in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland who are preparing for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and City and Guilds examinations. It involves the delivery of structured lessons in mathematics, English, science, information technology, and electronic document preparation and management for secondary students along with PEP preparation for primary pupils, by qualified teachers.

In St Elizabeth, the sessions began on April 4, with classes being held every Saturday over a four-week period. In Westmoreland, students underwent intense three-hour classes from April 7 to 10. Speaking at the official launch at Jack Sprat Treasure Beach in St Elizabeth, Susan Nelson-Smith, regional director for the ministry's region five, said that in addition to the exam preparation support, students are also being provided with lunch and snacks to reduce the economic pressure on parents as they rebuild their homes post-hurricane. Manager of the Community Renewal Department at the JPS, Marilyn McDonald, told JIS News that the initiative also covers stationery and stipend for teachers, as well as transportation for students who may find it challenging to reach classes.

Student at Aberdeen High School, Demarley Barnaby, told JIS News that the sessions have fostered a better understanding of his City and Guilds subject areas.

"The extra lessons have been helping me a lot in classes. I have more understanding of the subjects when I'm in class and I perform better among my colleagues," he said. His schoolmate, Akaylia Simpson, noted that the programme has already fostered significant progress in her exam preparations.

"The extra lessons have helped me with completing extra topics on the subjects that I didn't get to complete previously, and it has been a big help because in the normal time (last school term) the teachers didn't get to teach classes because of the hurricane," she said.