Steering students in the right direction

Glenmuir High’s successful driver’s education programme got a major boost on Wednesday as the Clarendon-based school’s Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) donated a 2017 Toyota Passo to expand its offerings.

The school is the only secondary institution in the parish and the seventh islandwide to participate in the programme, in partnership with the Island Traffic Authority and the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport.

In April, its first cohort of 65 candidates, which included students and members of the academic and ancillary staff, sat the written test to qualify for provisional (learner’s) driver’s licences.

Dontae Matthews, education and information officer at the Island Traffic Authority, noted that Glenmuir had a 100 per cent pass rate and lauded the PTA for delivering on the promise in what, he said, was record time.

Citing more than 300 road-related deaths up to October 11, Matthews said, “We have this initiative in high schools because we realise that a lot of young people are illegally driving to school and around the country without a learner’s permit. We have had fatalities where young people under 17 are dying in motor vehicle crashes, and they were the drivers, meaning they didn’t have a learner’s permit or a licence because the law says you have to be 17 [years] old. So we are happy to partner with Glenmuir High,” said Mathews, while imploring other schools to come on board.

Up to midday on October 12, some 317 people had been recorded as having died in road crashes across Jamaica for this year. One driver was within the 15-19 age group.

Matthews said that, under the partnership with schools, participants will learn defensive driving and mechanical skills.

LESSONS

“[They will learn] how to change tyres, how to check engine [oil], how to check different things on the vehicle, and I am happy about that,” he said.

Teacher Phillip Mohan, faculty adviser of Glenmuir’s Driver Education Club, touted the benefits of introducing such an initiative in schools.

“ ... It provides a holistic development for students, and, here at Glenmuir, we truly believe in that. Yes, we’re known for academics, sports, and other things, but we’re saying, if we have a set of students graduating at the end of the fifth or sixth form programme, and leaving with a learner’s permit or licence, it makes for a fully developed individual,” said Mohan.

He disclosed that, with a strong interest in the venture, the club has outgrown its original meeting location as more students are tapping into becoming qualified.

Francine Rhooms, president of the school’s PTA, said the team was especially ecstatic to hand over the car, which is valued at some $1.3 million, having made the commitment six months ago.

‘’We thought it was a good opportunity to partner with the school and acquire a motor vehicle, so the students not only get the theory, but the practical aspect of it. With the changing of the Road Traffic Act, we know it would cost parents an additional sum of money to make sure the children go into a private driving institution, so we’re actually helping our parents, and helping our students to become holistic in their development, and ensure better practices on the road,” said Rhooms.

Principal Dr Marsha Smalling lauded the PTA for the contribution.

“When we look at the number of fatalities on our road, and our youth dying, we feel good that, as a school, we have been proactive in training our students to become great drivers, and we hope that they will be model drivers on the road. So I’m excited,” said Smalling.

Sixth-former Aliyah Butler, the Driver Education Club’s public relations officer, said she had always had an interest in learning to drive but faced hurdles in finding a suitable instructor.

She expressed relief at being able to hone her skills at school.

olivia.brown@gleanerjm.com