Nestled in the hills of Claremont, St Ann, Ferncourt High is on a drive to excellence, and the administrators there are especially proud of the empowerment programme at its Brittonville campus, the first such initiative by a traditional high school. The programme targets students who were not placed after the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and were admitted to the high school through the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT) and the Alternative Secondary Transition Education Programme (ASTEP).

Education Minister Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid says he is hopeful and optimistic that the country will see great improvement in the education system this year. The Minster, in his back-to-school broadcast yesterday, not only expressed optimism, but also indicated that all the necessary preparations had been made for the start of the new academic year, which begins today.