Paget Primary School on Ord Road will not be opening today because renovations are not yet complete.

The announcement comes just days after Principal Wendell Smith said the school would definitely be opening for the first day of the school year today.

Yesterday Education and Development Minister Terry Lister confirmed that it was decided not to open the school until next Monday, ?in order to have the school in the best possible state for students, and to mitigate effects of the expected hurricane?. Just over 200 students will be effected.

Mr. Lister said all other public schools will start the new year as originally scheduled.

Referring to the work at Paget Primary, Mr. Lister said teachers were concerned about the extent they would find the school ready.

He said this was a ?very ambitious? plan and he was very disappointed.

Work remaining to be done at the primary school includes water fountain installation, exterior touch-ups and some remedial work.

?All planned cabling work is essentially complete. It should also be pointed out that the little remaining work would not under normal circumstances prevent classroom preparation, but some time was lost in addressing concerns expressed by members of staff,? he said.

The Works and Engineering Department has been carrying out its annual schedule of repairs, maintenance work and renovations at all public schools throughout the summer.

Mr. Lister said this work had, on the whole, proceeded on schedule.

Eight pre-schools had minor repairs and renovations, including a new classroom at Prospect Pre-school, as well as the completion of the play ground at St. George?s Pre-school.

A variety of work was carried out on the Island?s 16 primary schools, as well as at four of the five middle schools.

Preparations for hearing impaired children at Gilbert Primary and some minor improvements for handicapped students attending Spice Valley have also been completed.