Education centre of excellence for Central Manchester

Member of Parliament for Central Manchester Peter Bunting has vowed to use education to transform the constituency into a centre of excellence.

Bunting, who is expected to face a battle with the Jamaica Labour Party's St Aubyn Bartlett in the next general election, says he has already started making progress in the transformation.

During a recent tour of five schools in the constituency, Bunting said that was one of the most rewarding days in his three terms as a member of parliament.

According to Bunting, to see the thousands of additional spaces and quality places across five schools for one constituency in a single term of office was extraordinary.

"I was so proud of the students, teachers, principals, and school boards for their demonstration of hospitality, discipline, and talent displayed in their respective welcomes to our special guests," said Bunting, who was joined on the tour by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Education Minister Ronald Thwaites.

"I am honoured to be part of an administration that has delivered these outcomes creatively and efficiently, and further, that my representation had a small part to play in making all this happen," added Bunting.

During the tour Bunting, led the team to the once private Belair School, which has now been transformed into a grant-aided facility and expanded by a 16-classroom block, increasing its capacity to now host 1,000 students.

The team also toured the Mt St Joseph Catholic High School, which reopened as a grant-aided institution and expanded with an additional six-classroom block, through a joint initiative between the Catholic Diocese and the Ministry of Education.

Groundbreaking ceremony

There was also a groundbreaking and contract signing ceremony for the expansion and rehabilitation of the Mandeville Primary and Junior High School.

Some $64 million is to be spent to construct a 12-classroom block with accompanying bathrooms and other facilities, which will feature increased access for students with disabilities.

The expansion will see to the elimination of the double-shift system at the Mandeville institution.

The party also visited the McIntosh Memorial Primary School for the official handover of a new eight-classroom block on the school grounds, which will add much-needed space for the formerly overcrowded institution.

The final stop for the day was in the hills of Bellefield at the Zion Hill Primary School, for the handover ceremony of a new classroom block.