Manning School renovation after Beryl is almost complete

SAVANNAH-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Manning School is nearly fully restored from structural damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, with Principal Steve Gordon saying the work is 99 percent complete.

The school is also supported by the ongoing commitment of the Former Students Association to build additional classrooms on the grounds of Jamaica’s second oldest high school.

“There are still repairs to be done. (A) couple of floors need to be replaced and there are some areas that they (the contractor) need to go back and finish,” Gordon said.

The school was one of several targeted as part of the government’s emergency procurement process after it was severely damaged when the hurricane dealt a glancing blow to the country on July 3.

“We hope that what remains can be done over the weekend… They promised that they would do it in this time. Nothing is interfering with the day-to-day operations of (the school), but we hope we can get these things out of the way so we can sign a statement saying everything is 100 percent complete,” Gordon. said.

“We hope (this happens) as soon as possible. That’s all I can say,” he added.

Gordon was talking to Jamaican columnist after presenting two checks during a ceremony held at the facility on Wednesday.

One of the donations was from Samuels’ Hardware in the parish, which will provide $1 million worth of materials for the Class of 84 Alumni Block. The class of 83 presented a check for $1 million toward audiovisual equipment for the school’s auditorium.

“Of course we need that input because the one we had in the hall in the past is in disrepair and so we would be using a mobile, which is not convenient in the hall because it comes with one speaker,” Gordon said .

He said Samuels’ Hardware’s contribution will go toward an existing Class of 84 project that began several months ago.

“They are building two more classrooms to expand the classroom space we have,” said the school principal, who said the owner of the equipment had expressed interest in helping after the storm.

The Ministry of Education also expressed satisfaction with the support provided by graduates.

“On behalf of the Minister and the Department of Education and Youth, let me begin by expressing our heartfelt thanks to the Class of 1983 and Samuels’ Hardware in Little London for their generous donation of a total of $2 million towards the construction of four new classrooms on this campus. This gift, which represents not only financial support but also a deep commitment to the development of future generations, underscores the importance of the partnership and its transformative power in the education sector,” said Region 4 Education Specialist Dr. Shamara Brissette.

She said the additional classrooms will not only reduce overcrowding, but also create a better environment for meaningful learning and personal growth.

Manning Former Students Association president (west) Roger Walcott, speaking on behalf of the association’s three other chapters, said the $2 million contribution was a modest start.

“We are pleased to receive donations today. It’s one small drop in the ocean. There are still many donations to be made, and some have already arrived. So, we are waiting to see who else will contribute,” said Wolcott, Class of ’73.

He said other classes are now providing assistance to the institution.

“This is a one-year, one-exercise group. This is their contribution to the Manning cause as they see it now. In the class I’m from, we met last year and walked around the area, where we realized that the school cafeteria needed serious funding. So they invested $1 million into this project. There are other classmates who give the same, and I know that the class of 2004 has donated over $2 million, and the class of ’76 is preparing to come and give another amount. I won’t say what that number is, but it’s a great number,” Walcott said.

“It has a ripple effect. People see what we do. People will know that Manning has a need. He has desires. This has been neglected for too long and we need to stop thinking about getting another person to do it for us. We have to start thinking about doing something for ourselves,” he urged, although he thanked the Ministry of Education for its support.

During the event, Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament (MP) George Wright donated $100,000 to the Class 83 project.

Wright, who was not a former student of Manning’s, said his pledge was intended to encourage others to donate to further the school’s development.

Currently, the institution has 1,807 students and 96 teachers.