A donation of US$6000 for Balcombe Drive Junior High and Primary Schools had served immense importance for improving conditions of the institution. The 2012 Charity Bazaar of Japan-Latin American and Caribbean Ladies Association proceeded the donation sum to Elaine Foster Allen, the Permanent Secretary of Education Ministry. Margaret Jobson, the acting Permanent Secretary of Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs Ministry presented the sum of donation for carrying out various development works for the institution.
According to Mrs. Foster Allen, the donated amount would definitely offer credible help for improving various conditions of the institutions that needed immediate intervention. She even expressed her humble gratitude to the charity while addressing a brief hand-over ceremony at the offices of Foreign Affairs Ministry at New Kingston, yesterday.
Grace McLean, the chief Education Officer at Education Ministry also added that the decision was initiated with a view to offer viable assistance for maintenance and repair works of the institution. According to her, the Ministry is also working along with the representatives of the Embassy of Japan to chalk out a favorable plan for supporting development issues of the institution.
The school for the meantime, serves about 400 students. The institution is located in the community of Olympic Gardens.
McLean even said that they had sent innumerable pictures and posters of the students of the school participating in various activities and of the institution itself in order to attract further help from other quarters of the industry.
The Chief Education Minister also informed that the Ministry has several plans to develop and transform Primary and Junior High institution of Balcombe Drive. They are also planning to introduce a separate department for infants in the institution. Although things have not been finalized, yet those are on a priority level for the Ministry to initiate a number of development activities that the institution requires at the moment.
Mrs. McLean even stated that several assessments had already been completed. The authorities had finished evaluating the damages of the infrastructure and calculations related to repairing service had been conducted. She even pressed for full repairing of the institution before commencement of the upcoming session, which is scheduled to start in September.
The minister was delighted to add that the institution requires certain level of support for ensuring refurbishing various areas for better comfort level of the students. She however mentioned that there is no planed strategy regarding how the donation sum would be utilized, as for the moment. Their main interest was to get the amount sanctioned instantly; and then further considerations related to development activities can be figured out by having a meeting with the authorities of the institution.
Ms. Margaret Jobson also reported that they would keep a close scrutiny on all developmental activities of the institution. The school authorities would send frequent updates to the Embassy referring to the progress of development initiatives, including photographs. The Embassy would in turn pass on the report to the contributors about the fruitful utilization of their money. The entire community is highly committed to initiate development activity of the institution in order to offer a better environment of study and learning for the students.