Construction delays will not stop two primary schools from reopening with all others on the island on September 11, the Ministry of Education said today.

A ministry spokeswoman said “logistical challenges” had prevented the construction of new classrooms at Purvis Primary and Francis Patton, the island’s first two parish primary schools, from being completed this summer.

Plans for the schools included four new classrooms at Purvis, two at Francis Patton and new exterior steps at both facilities.

As a result of these delays, contingency plans to provide “uninterrupted learning” at the schools were put in place.

The spokeswoman said that the plans were shared with the school communities in June and again this week.

The Royal Gazette reached out to the ministry yesterday for details of the contingency plans but there has been no response.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, said school and department leaders were dedicated to maintaining the character and integrity of the parish school experience.

He added: “Indeed, all of our students and staff will be welcomed into safe, nurturing environments conducive to teaching and learning.

“A special thank-you to our facilities staff and [the Department of] Public Works for their hard work on the school sites and the teachers who worked throughout the summer on curriculum, learning experiences and assessment.”

The school transitions will also come with new leadership and teachers, which will be announced to the public in due course.