Shanice Thompson, a new student of Dunoon Park Technical.

Shanice Thompson, a new student of Dunoon Park Technical, was excited about her first day, but she was also worried.

Shanice's auxiliary fees were not paid so she would not be given the rental textbooks at the school.

Her mother, Pansie Richards, said due to financial challenges she did not start preparing for school until two weeks before Dunoon reopened.

"I was caught up in the rush and is only because I know the tailor why him make one uniform and let me get it so that she could come out this morning," said Richards.

Worried about paying fees

She added that the most worrying thing to her was when she would be able to pay the fees.

"I explained last week that I would be paying half of the fees this morning but I still don't have it, so I will have to go back to talk to them," Richards pointed out.

"I don't know what to do because her father does selling and nothing not going on and I don't have it now."

However, Richards said she would try to make the payment by the end of the month from the little money she earns from her cooking job. With the struggles that the parent is undergoing to send her child to school, she said she encourages her daughter to aim for a good education.

Not paying the auxiliary fees means Shanice, outside of not being able to access rental books, will, for the time being, also be deprived of a belt and a school badge.

Shanice does not allow that to hinder her from enjoying her time at school with teachers and friends.

"The teachers are very receptive and the students are no different, which makes my day a smooth sailing one," she said.

She said she faced no challenge to get her lunch as a new student and she was not forbidden access to any area of the school's compound.

But it was just what Shanice had expected.

"I wasn't worried about the new environment because I know people are more friendly now to others," she said.

But the 15-year-old student who lives on Gordon Road, Kingston, disclosed that she was facing difficulties coping with the rules at school, as they are more rigid than the ones at her former school - Central Branch All-Age.

"The rules weren't so burdensome at the all-age that I am coming from. We could wear our earrings and we could wear white ribbons but I will have to try and adjust to them," she said.

Shanice had a 70 per cent average at her previous school and said she would be working assiduously to maintain it.

She wants to be a teacher.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com