No library, no staff room, no piped water - But hope flows at Springvale Primary

Tucked away between the quiet communities of Wakefield and Barry in St Catherine, Springvale Primary School is a small institution with big challenges.

For decades, the school has operated without piped water, relying instead on storage tanks that are refilled every two weeks.

"Right now we need a tank because there are persons who truck water to us, but one of the tanks has a leak, so the water is not serving us as it used to," principal Luleeta Peters said.

The lack of amenities goes beyond water.

"We don't have a staff room and we would really appreciate one. We are a small family here, so the teachers will sit with their students and eat. We would also like a library," Peters said.

She added that the school has 10 tablet computers, which it rotates among its students for lessons, and a television set.

Despite the limited resources, Springvale is alive with spirit. When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the institution earlier this week, the air was filled with the laughter of children at lunchtime. Some students kicked a ball barefoot on the dusty field, their feet stained with red dirt, while others lined up at the canteen for slices of pizza and drinks served by their teachers.

Peters, herself, was among the servers, ensuring that no child went without.

Though little known to many, Springvale Primary has slowly grown to 64 students, a big jump from about 20 enrolled just a few years ago. The principal says part of that success comes from making the learning experience bigger than the small community that surrounds them.

"We have students from Bog Walk, Wakefield, Kitson Town, Lime Walk, Barry, and so on. We do take the children out, and last year we took them to institutions like The Mico University College, the Kingston waterfront, and even Emancipation Park.... . Some of them said they had only ever seen these places on television. So I just really enjoy taking them on little outings," Peters shared.

The school also participates in community activities and competitions, giving the children opportunities they might otherwise miss.

"We try to enter every little competition we see going on in the community," Peters said.

"Even if we do not reach far, we allow the children to do it just for the experience. Last year we entered the Primary School Champs, but we did not reach far because we don't have enough athletes, but we tried," she added.

Peters is hopeful that the multi-grade school will one day get the staff room, library, and running water which both teachers and students deserve.