Two classrooms at the Bethel High School (BHS) have been refurbished into a lunch room and a mathematics room, respectively.

At a ceremony held at the school on Wednesday to officially open the rooms, principal Miriam Pompey said the idea for a lunch room came after members of staff reported that a number of students were coming to school without a proper breakfast.{{more}}

Pompey said this triggered a proposal to be submitted for a meal for the students, an idea that former principal Wendell Edwards embraced.

The current principal stated that for five years, the implementation of the project was threatened by inadequate space, growth of the facility, growing needs among the students and the financial burden on the institution. However, the Mustique Charitable Trust (MCT) readily welcomed the proposal when approached by the school. As a result, the school was awarded a grant that allowed them to transform one of the classrooms into a lunch room.

Additionally, the Math Department of the school solely undertook the responsibility of upgrading and enhancing the mathematics room, through numerous fund-raisers, which ran simultaneously with the lunchroom initiative.

Pompey said the two rooms complement the Effective School Principles that are being piloted at the school.

Also speaking at the ceremony, representative from the Ministry of Education Elizabeth Walker noted that the initiative, aided by MCT, falls in line with the Effective School initiative.

Walker described the refurbished rooms as “timely and strategic” for the improvement of the students at the school, as the Ministry is currently focusing on quality education. She further urged students to show appreciation to the principal and stakeholders and to acknowledge what has been done for them.

Administrative director of MTC Lavinia Gunn said that the Trust was pleased to support the school in its efforts to provide 50 needy students with a nutritious hot lunch during the school term. She noted that the trustees have also agreed to assist with some of the operational costs of the programme for the academic year 2016-2017.

Gunn said that with this initiative, the BHS has joined seven other schools at which the MCT has school meal programmes, aimed at providing nourishing meals for needy children unable to afford a midday meal.

Gunn disclosed that principals have reported that the students who receive this support have improved in the areas of attendance, behaviour and academic performance. She said that she hopes that the support would assist the students who were at risk in achieving their academic potential. (AS)