– 58 new students expected to join secondary school pupil complement
WITH the celebration of Education Month 2012 and the commencement of the 2012/ 2013 academic year,
THE education system of the Region 8 sub-district of Mahdia has been improved with the inclusion of eight new teachers to the nursery, primary and secondary schools for the 2012/2013 academic year.
The teachers are Onickia Green for the nursery school; Shaemika Paddy for the primary school; and Kenny Pereira, Marcus Webster, Natascia Baird, Vanessa Taylor, Winnette Griffith and Euna Simon for the secondary school.
The district is due to receive one head teacher for the primary and another for the secondary schools.
The first day of school at the Mahdia Day Care Centre yesterday saw 10 of the 21 pre-school students on roll being promoted to the nursery level, leaving the Day Care Centre with an attendance of 11 when this publication visited.
Teacher in charge of the Day Care Centre, Mrs. Leah Warner, indicated that parents are still finalizing arrangements for more pre-schoolers to be enrolled at the Day Care Centre during the week.
The Mahdia Nursery School has some fifty-one students in attendance. The teacher in charge, Ms. Debra Carter, said the staff of four includes newcomer Ms. Onika Green, a former student of Mahdia Secondary School; along with the head teacher and another teacher which was promised by the Education Department. These teachers will undergo classes designed to help them mould young children into the education system.
Over at the Mahdia Primary School, where Senior Teacher Ms. Pauline John was in charge, a total of 253 students were present on the first day of school.
That school now has eight classes and eight teachers, including newcomer teacher Ms. Shaemika Paddy.
John noted that an additional two teachers are needed to supplement the other teachers, in order to adequately address unforeseen circumstances, like absenteeism.
The Mahdia Secondary School, which caters for live-in as well as non-resident students attending from surrounding villages and areas, saw an inclusion of six new teachers to take the staff complement to 15, including the head teacher who is yet to arrive.
The school, which has eight classes, has just concluded its first year as a full secondary school, since it was once a high school; and students wrote CSEC exams for the first time last June.
A total of 254 students were present for the first day, and teacher in charge, Ms. Shuaneille Jordon, explained that the new staff will complement two subject areas — Clothing and Textiles and Industrial Technology. The others will fill the twelve-subject areas as the school receives the full complement of teachers.
Jordon indicated that another 38 students were expected from the North Pakaraimas, and 20 from Micobie, Princeville and El Paso; and space and furniture would have to be located to accommodate these students.