The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION officials have seen a marked increase in school attendance at Uriah McPhee Primary School since conducting a walkabout in the community targeting students who were otherwise delinquent.

They say the initiative yielded a 19 percent rise in attendance at the school, including virtual and in-person learning, according to Clint Watson, press secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.

He also announced that officials were working assiduously to address repair issues at Uriah McPhee and T A Thompson Junior High School. The latter’s teachers sat out this week in protest of conditions there.

Both schools will remain on the virtual platform for now.

“The opening of school happened this week successfully,” Mr Watson said Friday during the OPM’s weekly press briefing. “This week public and private schools opened for hybrid learning for the first time in months.

“In the public sector there were some challenges namely at T A Thompson and Uriah McPhee. We are working to ensure that the campuses at T A Thompson in particular are up to standard for students in short order and we’ll have an update for that in this next week.

“T A Thompson and Uriah McPhee will remain virtual for now. We know it’s not ideal so we’re trying to ensure that it is resolved in speedy fashion. Our first priority is to ensure students are indeed safe.”

He continued: “At Uriah McPhee we have seen a 19 percent increase in attendance after the ministry of education did a walkabout prior to school reopening.

“The staff and team there went throughout the community surrounding Uriah McPhee and as a result of them going in to find out what was going on with those students who were delinquent, who weren’t logging on, we’ve seen turn around and an increase in students now attending school either virtually or face-to-face by 19 percent.

“So, hats off to the students and staff and teachers at Uriah McPhee administration for that exercise, which proved very fruitful.

“This week has been one of diagnosing students and where there are learning gaps we will adjust. This week as students come back, we’ve got to find out where they are academically so we know how to address their needs and that’s what’s been happening this week with students who’ve been returning.”

Mr Watson also said there was no issue with students wearing school uniforms or dressing appropriately to attend class as was a concern of some.

“We have not had an issue with uniforms as some people suspected as most of the students returning to school were in uniforms and those who could not be in uniform, they were dressed appropriately, which is a good thing.

“By and large teachers came out in full force and it represents a commitment to what they do and so that’s a good thing. We thank our teachers for being a part of that,” Mr Watson said.