About 475 kids will be rushing through the gates and cramming into classrooms at the Grace Primary School on Amara avenue in September. That's a lot students and it is becoming more of a challenge to cater to all these kids in a cramped urban environment. Well, there will be some relief for the next school year because 4 more classrooms will be built on Faber's Road, as an extension the school. We found out more about the project at the ground breaking ceremony this morning.
Brenda Lee Hyde - Vice Principal, Grace Primary
"SIF is giving us 4 classrooms so initially we might just bring over the upper division; we have not cemented all that yet but that's our plan."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So right now it's only going to be 4 classrooms to be built here on this lot?"
Brenda Lee Hyde - Vice Principal, Grace Primary
"Yes 4 classrooms."
Courtney Weatherburne
"To cater to how many kids?"
Brenda Lee Hyde - Vice Principal, Grace Primary
"Well that will be I would say about 100 kids, about 100 kids."
Courtney Weatherburne
"Tell us about the conditions at the existing school, is it too crowded? Tell us the problems or issues you faced at the current school compound."
Brenda Lee Hyde - Vice Principal, Grace Primary
"Where we are right now definitely we have out grown Grace Primary School and we need more space because the amount of students that apply each year we cannot take that amount. We could build a new school with the amount of people who apply at Grace Primary School because of course you know Grace Primary is one of the better schools and we try to educate the entire child. So people always want to come to Grace Primary School and we are happy for that so we decided that we have had this land for over 20 years and we said we need to have a new school because where we are; you said you been over there you know we don't have any more space for expansion. There is little playing area for the children and the classrooms are packed tight to we really need to expand."
"I am sure that our parents right now notice that all our classrooms are filled and we really need more space for the children so that we can do much more with the children in terms of having nice centres like that in the classroom because we are so crowded so we are limited in what we can do. So I just want to encourage the parents to work along with us because if you notice it’s about 1.5 acres of land so we need to fill the rest of the land; so even as we get the first 4 classrooms we want to expand. Like my vision is at least we can add on a classroom every year so I just believe that when people see us start others will come on board and assist us because we don't have the funding but then if other people come in and help us we'll definitely be able to have a brand new Grace Primary School."
William Lamb - SIF
"We are pressed to come and get this celebration after the long wait to have this ground breaking today. The works is up and going to not only have the 4 classroom buildings but what SIF mandate is to ensure that each building that we put up is hurricane shelter ready. So it has the restrooms, you also have the teachers, classrooms and restrooms for teachers and students."
These 4 new classrooms will hold about 150 students. It should be completed in September of next year.
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