Jost Van Dyke School Commences Operations in New State-of-the-Art Facility”

The Jost Van Dyke School officially commenced its operations in a new state-of-the-art building on Tuesday, January 9. The 24 students and 10 staff members have embraced their new surroundings, with one staff member expressing, “We are very comfortable.”

The Principal received the keys to the Multipurpose Educational Facility in December, marking the fulfillment of a promise made by the Ministry of Education on October 31, 2023 to have the new building ready for the start of the 2024 semester.

This achievement is the outcome of collaborative efforts between the Government of the Virgin Islands and the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA). However, the road to this accomplishment was not without its challenges.

Last November, frustrated parents staged a protest, demanding urgent action from the government to address hazardous conditions students faced in the previous school building. Grievances included issues such as mold infestation, a leaky building, and flooding on the school premises.

In response to the pressing concerns, a week after the protest, students were temporarily moved to the Leonora Delville Primary School for the remainder of the school term. The move provided a necessary interim solution while awaiting the completion of the Multipurpose Educational Facility.

On Thursday, December 21, 2023, the RDA held a pre-handover site visit, underscoring their commitment to resolving the challenges faced by the Jost Van Dyke School community. The visit included the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs, and Sports, Dr. Marcia Potter, and was led by RDA’s CEO Anthony McMaster, along with members of the RDA team.