Two traditions, one future

The newly merged Hydel Cumberland High School opened in Portmore with a new name, a new motto and a promise that neither school’s identity would be erased. Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon said the merger would combine the strongest traditions of both institutions.

The school’s motto, “On the wings of excellence, endeavour to soar,” brings together the mottos of Hydel High and Cumberland High. Morris Dixon said the merger also joined the schools’ ethos as students and teachers marked the institution’s first day during the opening of the 2026-2027 academic year.

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I love to see the new motto: ‘On the wings of excellence, endeavour to soar.’ And that’s a merger of the two mottos of the two schools. So even starting with the name, we merged the two schools. With the motto, we have merged the two schools and their ethos.

She said Cumberland had capacity for 1,200 students but had been operating with just over 300 when she visited about a year earlier. Hydel’s infrastructure problems, together with Cumberland’s available space, made the merger a practical choice, she said.

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One of the things we had thought about was potentially moving the children in little groups to different schools, putting them all around St Catherine. But I think this is the best option. I think this was quite strategic in nature, and that’s how we’re going to continue to do this restructuring of education in Jamaica, be strategic, because now that we have one institution instead of two, it means we can direct more resources to one… that is our plan.

The minister said the restructuring was intended to be strategic. Rather than distribute Hydel students among several schools in St Catherine, the ministry chose to create one institution and direct more resources to it. The school has already received a larger student population, which Morris Dixon described as the principal’s first granted request.

The ministry is spending $70 million to improve the electrical system, while work is also under way on the home economics laboratory. Plans include expanding the parking lot and upgrading sporting facilities. Morris Dixon said the ministry was committed to making the combined traditions work together and ensuring the merged school succeeds.

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So there’s a lot that will happen here, and Principal [Carlon Pitt] can ask for everything he wants. Principal, we’ve already granted your first wish, which was more students, but your success, the success of this merged institution, is really important to the Ministry of Education. We are very much committed to it. We’re committed to seeing the traditions work together and to achieve so much more.