An expansion of St Theresa’s Basic School would be the best new year’s gift for Principal Valerie Walters, who wishes to increase the number of students.

Walters shared her request following a Christmas treat for the children at her school in Annotto Bay, St Mary, which was funded by charity organisation Icons of Annotto Bay.

She told the Jamaica Observer that after relocating, due to the dilapidated state of the old facility, she has not been able to house her usual numbers due to limited space.

“We were over by the western side of Annotto Bay before the COVID-19 pandemic and then we closed down because of COVID-19 and then we reopened January of this year at this new location,” she said.

With the resumption of face-to-face classes in January, the new location housed only five students, the principal said, adding that by the end of the Easter term, there were 21 students. In September that number increased to 47 students.

“People are still coming. For January I had to be sending back students and referring them elsewhere but they want to come to this school. So we are trying to approach other organisations like Food For the Poor; Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund, Jamaica Social Investment Fund to see if they can assist us,” she said.

“If it’s even a two-mass room to be added because we are tightly packed, and the church on the grounds is helping as well to see if they can get further assistance.”

Walters said she is hoping to get assistance soon, in order to begin renovations in September.

“I’ll be speaking with the church to see if a classroom can be added there until then, because right now I have 19 students waiting to come in for January. It’s hard to tell them I can’t accommodate them,” she said.