Fri | Mar 29, 2024

School back in full swing

Some students opt out for job opportunities

Published:Wednesday | January 12, 2022 | 12:06 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer

Tanesha Powell, acting principal of Lennon High School in Mocho, Clarendon, is now in a ‘wait and see’ mode where her upper school students are concerned, as she said since reopening last Wednesday she has not seen a number of them.

Now in its second week, she said the school enjoyed a good turnout from first to third form, but the same could not be said about the upper classes.

“Before now we knew that some of them were at different places of their lives so we are actually trying now to see what will happen for this week. Monday to Wednesday is their day, so after Wednesday, we will make an assessment to see how many of the upper school students are here,” she told The Gleaner, pointing out that they will then liaise with form teachers regarding those who are missing and pass the information on to the guidance counsel department for the counsellors to make contact with those who are not attending.

EXPRESSED FEAR

Powell also noted that a few students in fifth form and upper six who she said “have different ideas about their lives” are now working and are not interested in returning to school.

Janice Julal, principal of Denbigh High School, shared with The Gleaner that her students are super excited to be back in school, although a few of her students have opted to skip the final year of sixth form, not only for employment reasons but also to attend university.

“We had a few cases of that, but it is not a whole scale thing. Generally, we have most of our students returning, but by next week, we will be able to see the full extent,” she said.

Pointing out that there are a few parents who expressed fear in sending their children out, she said, for the most part, they are enjoying a good turnout.

Kellits High School is up and running in full swing as they opened for face to face midweek last week. However, Principal Textal Christie shared that 12 of the 62 teachers are out due to flu-like symptoms, but their illness has not crippled the operation, he said.

Pauline Givans, principal of the Victoria Early Childhood Institution in the parish, said her little ones are off to a good start with only a few teachers out prior to their reopening because of the flu.

cecelia.livingston@gleanerjm.com