Breakaway on Maldon Road in St. James causing challenges for school

 

By Halshane Burke 

 

 

Students of Maldon High School in St. James are being negatively impacted by a breakaway along the main route to the institution. 

 

Janet Manning, Principal of Maldon High, says the students have been forced to endure a more circuitous route to get to school, passing through several communities including Roehampton, Mafoota, Mount Horeb and Barnett Bush.

 

Mrs. Manning says this has resulted in a major set back for students, particularly from the outer communities, with fares spiking up to $1,000 from $300 daily. 

 

"This is painful for parents in terms of bus fare, and I can't leave out the teachers. It's painful for teachers because those of us who drive, it's twice the amount of gas and that's a major, major problem right now. A parent called me today to say she has two girls with me and she said, 'Miss, I can't. I can't send them out. I can't afford the four fares,'" the principal recounted.

 

She said the school is trying to find solutions that can help. 

 

"We are trying. We have some partners who have decided that they are going to try and...help us, if it's even, you know, one or two days' bus fare. And we have also been in dialogue with the rural bus system. They did a trial run to come through the alternate route. And I am waiting to hear a little bit more from them in terms of when they will be able to start," she advised. 

 

Mrs. Manning raised concern that the road issue could lead to a further gap in the learning experience of students. 

 

In the meantime, Stephen Shaw, Communication Manager at the National Works Agency, said it will take some time to effect the necessary repairs to the breakaway.

 

"The solution is going to be expensive. It is not going to be a quick fix. It may very well involve us re-routing the road in that particular location, given the massive chasm that there is in the space. I cannot tell you here and now what the final situation is going to be. But as I said, our engineers have looked at it and they are looking at different iterations as to the most suitable fix. And that decision, I am sure, will be communicated in short order, given the importance of this road," he advised. 

 

They were both speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines on Wednesday.