Summit Attendees Distressed over School’s Crumbling Infrastructure
Crumbling Infrastructure
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With the 2007 / 2008 academic year set to begin in a matter of weeks, the Social Services / Canteen building on KC’s Melbourne Campus is still in an unfinished state. This situation exists after years of effort to provide a place where students on the school’s breakfast program could eat comfortably.
The recently concluded Summit of KCOBA chapters which brought old boys together from Atlanta, Florida, Jamaica, New York and Toronto included a tour of the facilities on KC’s Melbourne and Clovelly campuses.
Many old boys were shocked to see the state of disrepair in some areas of the campus. In one classroom block for grade 10 nicknamed “Dunkirk,” classroom doors and windows were noticeably broken or missing; the chemistry and biology labs were in an unbelievable state of disrepair; flooring in some 6th form classrooms was torn.
But discussions concerning the unfinished Social Services building evoked the most emotion during the summit when Florida’s representative, Audley Hewitt, expressed his prolonged frustration over the lack of progress in completing the building. In an emotional appeal, he pledged funds on behalf of Florida if Crafton Miller, Chairman of the Board of Governors would guarantee the balance of funds to complete the building.
The Social Services building project was initiated several years ago by KC Old Boy, K. Churchill Neita, who spearheaded a campaign to construct a canteen for the students on the breakfast program. Construction began in earnest but the project came to a standstill after several months when funds ran out. The building languished in an unfinished state and soon became an eyesore.
Two years ago, to the rescue came the Florida chapter which put up funds along with a contribution from the Atlanta Chapter to finish the building. Nothing happened. Apparently the funds mistakenly were intermixed with the Ministry of Education’s funds in the schools account.
So at this year’s summit, Audley again led the charge to get the building finished once and for all. It is estimated that an additional J$2.5 Million is needed to get to completion.
Principal Hemmings says the “Dunkirk” classrooms will be fixed in time for the new school year. Anthony Allen, president of the PTA stated that the PTA has collected funds to pave the driveway at the Melbourne campus where it was reported that upon seeing the condition of the driveway, one mother immediately turned her car around and took her son to another school.
Fixing the science labs will take a bit longer and so will the completion of the social services building.
