Only the best will do for Portmore Missionary Prep

Alicia Forrest, Gleaner Writer

The Portmore Missionary Preparatory School has been moulding the lives of its students since 1976, when it embarked on its mission to provide high quality education.

Its motto, 'Only The Best Will Do', inspires greatness and excellence on many fronts - from the football field, to the netball court, and in the classrooms.

For the past four years, a student from the school has received a government scholarship in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). In last year's sitting, 95 per cent of the grade-six class obtained places at traditional high schools.

Asked to what she credited the school's performance, Etta Walker, principal of the institution, said: "The teachers and students work hard. They have extra classes during the week and on Saturdays. We also do two mock exams to get the students in the frame of mind to do the GSAT."

The school has 400 children, and 63 of those students, who are in the two grade six classes, will be sitting the GSAT this year.

Both Jillian Harris and Josann Tomlinson, the grade six teachers, stressed the importance of parent involvement and understanding the concept of studying.