Registrar for the Independent Schools Unit in the Ministry of Education Youth and Information, Sharon Hunt, gave a “thumbs up” to the Kingsway Prep. & High School, during the school’s annual Founder’s Day Celebration on January 16, 2019.

The special service, held at the Kencot SDA Church, marked the seventy-sixth anniversary of the institution and was focused on the theme “Excellence… Our Hallmark”.

The educator spoke highly of the work being done at the Kingsway High School regarding government students sent by the ministry and noted that she had seen outstanding improvements with the students who attend the school.

“We have seen outstanding results from students who come to this school,” said Hunt. “We have students who come here sometimes with not much to offer and when the school is finished with them, they leave with much to give.”

“I am delighted with the progress and empowered by the seventy-six years of dedication to education in this nation,” Hunt said in an interview after the Founders’ Day celebration service.

The Ministry of Education representative commended the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica for its effort in making Jamaicans literate and numerate and congratulated the Kingsway Prep. & High School for its good service to education in Jamaica.

Just over seven hundred students along with their teachers, school administrators and pastors gathered to give God thanks for leading the school for the past seventy-six years.   

Pastor Noel Frazer, former president of the West Indies Union and who attended the school almost seven decades ago, was guest speaker at the service. The octogenarian recalled clearly the years he attended the school and the name of the principal at the time.

“When I attended the school, the principal was Mr. Percy in years 1951 – 1952. Now I am sitting in a newly refurbished classroom that looks so nice, it makes it so easy for students to learn now because a good environment contributes greatly to learning,” Frazer said.

The former leader of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Jamaica was proud of the impact the school and church had made over the years and commended the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the role it played in support of Christian education.

“Our pioneers have really done so much that today we can truly boast that God has blessed us with a wonderful system of education. Over the years, my church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has done so much in promoting Christian education. We thank the Lord for the blessing he has given over the years,” added Frazer.

Chairman of Kingsway Prep. & High School and president of the East Jamaica Conference (EJC), Dr. Eric Nathan, was pleased with the ministry of the school and said he hoped the legacy of Kingsway Prep. & High School would continue to impact Jamaica.

President Nathan was happy for the support the school had received in recent times and singled out Elder Desmond Young and the Conference Wide Development (CWD) Team, for their significant contribution to the school in recent times.  

“I am excited at seeing the impact of ownership and must commend Elder Desmond Young and his team for refurbishing the teachers’ lounge and creating the new classrooms,” Nathan said.

Young and members of the CWD Team were recognized and presented with a plaque at the Founder’s Day Celebrations. The school was more than happy for their efforts to increase the number of classrooms for students, their total upgrade and transformation of the Home Economics Lab and the refurbishing of the staff room and staff lounge.

 Dr. Donna Brown, Education Director, EJC, reflected on the many obstacles and challenges that confronted the school over the years but was proud of the achievements of the many students who made an impact not only in Jamaica but across the world.

“Today, there are doctors, there are lawyers, there are teachers, there are nurses, you just name any profession and a Kingsway past student will stand up and say ‘I am in that field’,” Brown said.

The former Kingsway High School teacher was pleased with the physical improvements to the school’s infrastructure in recent times and thanked the CWD Team for making such an impact on the teachers and students of the school. 

“Having been a teacher here myself in the nineties, and coming back today to sit in this staff lounge, I cannot help but say, to God be the Glory,” said Brown with a radiant smile.

“I looked at the classrooms and I saw the great changes, I remembered when it was the old canteen. Today we have five new classrooms and a home economics lab that is second to none,” the Education Director said. 

Principal of Kingsway Prep. & High School, Mrs. Alethia Williams, was grateful for the support of her dedicated team of teachers and support staff and expressed thanks to the Board Chairman, Dr. Eric Nathan, Education Director, Dr. Donna Brown and the members of the school’s alumni both here in Jamaica and abroad.

The Kingsway Prep and High School is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in East Jamaica Conference and is one of the six schools operated by the Conference.