Pupils of St. Ambrose Primary School performing at a ceremony to reopen the school today. (Image: C. Pitt/BGIS)??

If Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones, has his way, students entering secondary schools across the island will have to pay a caution fee to offset damages to school property.

He made this assertion today while addressing the official opening ceremony of the recently rebuilt St. Ambrose Primary School, Cypress Street, The City.??

According to the Minister, students repeatedly damaged school property and because their actions often go unreported, there was nothing that the Ministry could do to reprimand offenders, as permitted by the Education Act.

"The students will get the caution fee back after their school life has ended, provided that they do not break or destroy school property," Mr. Jones added. The Education Minister encouraged pupils at St. Ambrose to take good care of their new facility and equipment in order to maintain the academic excellence for which Barbados is known.??

"Teachers and students now have a facility which should [assist] them getting on the cutting edge of educational development.?? These…will add to the teachers’ expertise and experience and are geared at helping the nation’s children upgrade standards and to prepare them for the challenges of the knowledge-based economy of tomorrow," he asserted.

Mr. Jones also noted that his Ministry was currently negotiating with the Ministry of Health to acquire the land located to the east of the school, which has been earmarked as a possible playing field for the students.

The upgraded St. Ambrose Primary School includes eight classrooms, an administration block, computer laboratory, remedial reading classroom, library, sick bay and storage facilities.??The 148 students attending the institution are also wearing a newly designed multicolored uniform.??

kmoore@barbados.gov.bb

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