OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

"We're not ready, we're just not ready." That's the word from the Ocho Rios Primary School, days before the start of the 2009-2010 academic year, set for Monday, September 7.

Tardiness by authorities responsible for constructing a new canteen has resulted in the school with a population of 1,900 (last year's figure) being forced to open without the use of a canteen.

The Ministry of Education, according to a spokesperson at the school, had made commitments over the years to provide a new canteen for the institution which operates on two shifts. It was decided that work would have taken place during the summer break this year with the plan calling for the demolition of the existing structure and the building of a new one.

The plan

According to the source, the plan was to demolish the old canteen by July 1 and have the new structure ready in time for the new school year. However, a delay in starting the work has thrown the school's management into a quandary.

"They didn't start the work until the end of July and now they are running late. Now we're looking at the mid-term break (in October) before it is completed," the source told The Gleaner.

"We will be forced to use a makeshift canteen until at least October."

That's not the end of the problem for Ocho Rios Primary. The school is yet to receive its allotment of textbooks and furniture from the education ministry. Promises to effect repairs to the girls' bathroom have also not been kept.

However, some amount of work has been done, though. A 10-seater bathroom for the boys is ready for use and repairs to the roof of the grade six block, have been carried out.