MIKAEL Phillips, Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western, on Tuesday appealed for help for Mile Gully High School, the only secondary school in that rural constituency.

“One of the most vexing issues is the state of our educational facilities and infrastructures – particularly Mile Gully High School – and our primary schools in the constituency,” Phillips told Parliament during his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate.

“After acting as representative for the WındaLCO bauxite company in 2014, we were able to gain access to 40 acres of land near the existing school for a new home for Mile Gully High School. We arranged for every minister of education to visit the physical school facility and visit the proposed new site. He confirmed that they owned the land. How many times have I heard in industry presentations that construction of a new high school would begin that fiscal year? “Well, we’re still no closer to that reality,” Phillips told the House of Representatives.

“Mile Gully High School is the only high school in the North West Manchester constituency with a capacity of 730 pupils; A school facility for 1200 to 1500 students is needed. We have only six livable classrooms for our 730 students. Four years ago the two buildings were condemned by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education; “Not to mention the staff room that leaks like a sieve, the bathrooms are not suitable for students, the canteen is a joke, it is not suitable for either cooks or students,” said Phillips.

He told the House of Representatives that two makeshift classrooms were built by teachers and students with some materials donated by him, the school and other interested parties. However, the deputy said that the infrastructure was not suitable for the high school.

“I once again implore the Ministry of Education to prioritize Mile Gully High School. We look forward to hearing positive things about our new school facility.

“I am trying to resolve the responsibilities of the Ministry of National Education and the MP regarding school infrastructure. If it’s fencing, we hear, ‘Call a deputy’; if it is paint, ‘Call the Member of Parliament’; If the canteen is repaired, ‘Call the Member of Parliament’; ‘Call your MP’ if there is a pothole in the schoolyard; ‘Call the Member of Parliament’ if the school’s water is cut off; ‘Call the MP’ if the roof is leaking; If the school needs a staff room, ‘Call the MP,'” said a clearly frustrated Phillips.

“Why are schools in rural communities treated as if they are not centers of learning for our children? Most of our school infrastructure has not changed over the past decades; The classrooms are welcoming and the infrastructure is woefully inadequate for teachers to teach and our students to learn, and that needs to change,” Phillips said.

But he got to know all the school boards, principals, teachers, and most importantly, the parents and students in his constituency. “Despite all the difficulties, you continue to make the best of a difficult situation. “It’s time to do better in education,” he said.

Phillips also expressed concern about the poor condition of roads in his constituency.

“Over the past few weeks taxi operators and other residents have shown their frustration that trucks carrying bauxite from Mile Gully to the bauxite company’s plant in Clarendon continue to use the high street. The condition of the potholed (narrow) roads poses a danger to the traveling public, especially those walking along the roads.

“I had many meetings with the management of the bauxite company up to five years ago, expressing my concerns about the prolonged use of the main road with their large and overloaded trucks and insisting that they develop a detour. bypassing the small town of Mile Gully, Mile Gully Primary and high schools, SL Blake Early Childhood School and Mile Gully Health Centre. Five years later no detours have been developed; I even asked for the intervention of the Minister of Agriculture and Mines.

“Mr. President, let me be clear: The bauxite company is not violating any laws by using the main road; Various government bodies, including NEPA, gave them permission to use the Mile Gully main road all the way to Clarendon.

“My view, and that of many residents, is that the bauxite company should carry out periodic maintenance of the roadway, including periodic bushing, when using the public street.

I also care about the situation the community will be left in after the bauxite company has mined all the bauxite it needs. As in many communities, people will be worse off than when they found them. “We are not rich, but we will not be left poorer,” Phillips said.

He insisted the bauxite company must develop the promised detour as soon as possible and called on the company to engage in dialogue with its transport contractor over the speed and behavior of drivers, which he said posed a danger to road users.

“We will not give up until the detour is improved,” Phillips said.