St. Luke inaugurates new classrooms
With a rate of population growth among the highest in the Caribbean, need for new classrooms never ends. Today one Southside Belize City school found some breathing space and took time out to celebrate its good fortune.
Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting
Over two hundred fifty students in standards two, three and five of St. Luke Methodist primary school on Mahogany Street will find their environment a little bit more conducive to learning. It’s thanks to a new two storey, concrete structure built by the Government of Belize through the Social Investment Fund at a cost of six hundred twenty-five thousand dollars. The money was provided through the Commonwealth Debt Initiative. The Parent Teachers Association also made their in-kind contribution by painting the building. The ground floor of the buildings houses five classrooms, bathrooms, while the first floor contains the additional five classrooms, a principal’s office, library and female bathrooms. Today was a proud day for principal, Bernadine Pollard.
Bernadine Pollard, Principal, St. Luke Methodist School
“Since school reopened in January, we have already seen the relief it has brought upon our children and our teachers. The children are more comfortable, they are spacious and we have—we didn’t have much—but they struggle, they fuss less. There is less contention among them because they have the space to move around and they are not bumping and touching each other.
Ann-Marie Williams
“Are the classrooms well ventilated, they have fans?”
Bernadine Pollard
“Yes, they are well ventilated, there are four fans in each classroom, it’s properly lit and it’s a lot cooler. The children and the teachers have all expressed their satisfaction.”
Keynote speaker, Area Representative Cordel Hyde the told students to never settle for less than the best and always aim for greatness.
Cordel Hyde, Area Representative, Lake Independence
“We must know that within each of us, whether young or old, big or small, there is something magical, something beautiful, something waiting to explode if only we believe in ourselves and if only we work hard and we sacrifice and we endure, no matter what the circumstances. See the blue print for success is not found in where we come from or where we live or where we are born. The blue print for success comes from within and it comes from without. It comes from how hard we work, how much we are willing to sacrifice and how much we can persevere.”
The building was officially dedicated by Connectional President the reverend C. David Goff while remarks were also given by the General Manager of Methodist Schools, Patricia Bennett and Oscar Alonzo, Executive Director of the Social Investment Fund.
Jasmine Ferguson, Student, Std. III
“It’s cool and all my friends and my teacher like it and it’s colorful.”
Glenford Usher, Student, Std. III
“It’s clean, new and pretty.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“And you intend to keep it that way?”
Glenford Usher
“Yes ma’am.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“What will you do to keep it that way?”
Glenford Usher
“Clean it.”
Candy Woods, Student, Std. III
“I like that it has more space than the one back there and it’s much cooler.”
Ann-Marie Williams for News Five.
The new building, which replaced a mobile classroom unit, took eight months to construct. Contractor was Bavian Mossiah.
