Joy as Pindar’s Valley Primary and Infant’s doors reopen

It was joy and excitement for teachers, parents and students of the Pindar’s Valley Primary and Infant School when its doors reopened on Monday.

The school was forced to close and resort to an online format for teaching following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January when face-to-face classes resumed, the reopening had to be delayed, as the furniture had been destroyed due to termite infestation. Learning activities continued online, with classes also accommodated at the three churches in the community of Coxwayne, Rock River, Clarendon.

Last week, community members worked feverishly to ensure everything was in place following the completion of renovation work by contractor Simon McKenzie.

He said the works carried out on the school included roof replacement, meshing, installation of partitions, and the construction of a brand new canteen.

McKenzie, who revealed at the time that the work was 99.9 per cent complete, said the additional “half per cent” would be carried out by community members.

“Last Monday, a team from the community came in to deep clean, to ensure we were fully ready for opening. The school [field is]cut, clean up; furniture replaced; and there we go,” he informed.

Robert Morgan, member of parliament for the Clarendon North Central constituency in which the school is located, said he is happy that one of the projects for which he pushed as minister of state in the education ministry is complete.

“I want to thank Minister Williams (Fayval) especially for giving the children of Pindar’s a fighting chance. The residents are so happy, because they no longer have to send their children far away for school. This is the greatest benefit – the making of the lives of the children and their families better,” he noted in a response to The Gleaner.

Morgan also expressed thanks to the community members who volunteered their time and skills to ensure that there were no hiccups to the school’s reopening.

Acting principal Charmaine Henry Johnson said that most of the students are out and excited to be back.

“Yes, we were waiting for a long while, so we are excited to be back, (and) happy to have the students out; and the parents are here as well,” she said.

Katrina Caballero, committee member of Coxwayne Community Development Committee, said she was encouraged by the response in the WhatsApp group messages as parents and other stakeholders committed to join the workdays.

“Once we put hands and hearts together and engage in teamwork, it makes the dream work,” she told The Gleaner during a visit at the school.

Ann Miller Johnson, who lives yards from the school, also expressed her pleasure that the school is up and running again. Although she no longer has children attending the institution, she said for her it is of sentimental value and she takes personal pride in an entity in her community.

“We are so happy to find out that the school is opened back. Most of the children leave for other schools and we thank [the] Government for what was done for us. [I am] happy for the school reopening,” she gushed.

Kristha Gay Hill and Nyoka Christian, who between them have six children attending the school, expressed relief that their children will now be able to sit in their classrooms once more.

Christian, who was among those parents who joined in the volunteer workday effort to ensure that everything was ready for the reopening, said she was satisfied. “We are so excited, because it’s been a while; all the kids dem very excited as well.”

She is especially happy that her sixth-grader can now learn in comfort for the upcoming Primary Exit Profile examinations.