Tents? No Way!

MIDDLE QUARTERS, St Elizabeth — Describing tents as heat traps, Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School Principal Pauvine Watson-Barrett is insisting that all of her 252 students must be housed in ventilated classrooms when the new academic year opens next Monday.

“The tent cannot be used; it is extremely hot. We tried to use the tent last academic year. We had grade one initially in the tent and after the [Primary Exit Profile] exam we had grade six going to the tent and giving grade one a feel of a classroom space,” she told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

“However, due to the heat the children were not able to use the tent for the entire day. They had to be out of it by midday. Right now it is hotter than what we were experiencing last academic year, so I don’t see where I can use that tent to host the classroom,” she added.