PR – Staff and students at the St. Peter’s R.C. Pre School in St. John are operating in an environment that is more conducive to learning, following the refurbishment and recent hand over of the facility during a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture.
The project was completed at a cost of more than $533, 000.
Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture Hon. David Andrew presented the keys to Principal Ian George, after receiving them from Hon. Dennis Cornwall, Minister for Infrastructure and Physical Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation and Transportation.
Minister Andrew believes the most important benefit is an investment in the students’ education. “Thanks to everyone involved in seeing this project come to where it is. From the conceptual designs, the supervisors and engineers and the project team at the Ministry of Education, to the contractors and all who had a hand in seeing this project realized.”
Parliamentary Representative for St. John Hon. Kerryne James is a past student of the school. She was thrilled with the transformation and believes the entire community will benefit. “I was one of the first students who came as a preschooler to St. Peter’s R.C. School. So, I have seen, over the years, how the school has grown, in terms of the infrastructure, in terms of the teachers.”
Hon. James was pleasantly surprised to see the classrooms upgraded with modern screens instead of the traditional blackboards. She said, “As ministers, as MPs in our respective areas, we have a responsibility, and the onus is on us to ensure that whatever infrastructure that we rehabilitate, or that we build from the ground up, that we make it to fit the modern era – the needs of the modern era, because our students cannot be left behind.”
Principal, Ian George, is elated to begin using the new facility. He said, “Our classrooms are improved and are conducive to learning, especially at the pre-school. So, it’s a very happy day for
us and there should be positive effects as a result of improved classrooms. We are looking at improvements in student learning outcomes, because one of the facets of improvement in classroom ecology is that of the improvement in students’ learning.”
The project began in July 2022, and was completed in December of that year. The scope of work included changing the roof; plumbing and electrical work; painting; replacing the screens in the classrooms; refurbishing the playground area; improving drainage and enhancing existing aspects of the school.
