Elgin Taylor, Star Writer

Educators in the public education system have often complained about the lack of adequate material and financial resources. In addition to these two major problems, Jannett Ffrench, principal of the Daley and Locke Basic School in Ewarton, St Catherine, has added a third.

In a recent interview with The Star, Ffrench also registered her discomfort with the assessment process at her institution. She said that evaluations are being done fairly often by officials of the education ministry, but that they have been delinquent in providing her with timely feedback.

She also spoke to the need for the parents of her 45 students to get more involved in the education of their children.

The school gets a subvention from the Government, which is supplemented by the payment of a small fee by the parents.

Training

Ffrench previously taught at the Ewarton Basic School as a National Youth Service volunteer before joining the staff at her current institution.

She is an NCTVET-certified early childhood teacher. She also has an education certificate from Passley Gardens Teachers' College in the parish of Portland.

Ffrench is being assisted at the institution by three other teachers and an ancillary worker. The students, who range in ages from four to six, are grouped as Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3.