Schools in Region Four to Reopen Monday Despite Ongoing Hurricane Repairs

Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon says all schools across Region Four — covering Hanover, St James and Westmoreland — will reopen on Monday for the start of the new school year, despite concerns from some principals about their readiness.

Morris Dixon made the announcement during a tour of Ferris Primary School in Westmoreland, one of several schools damaged during Hurricane Melissa last October.

“I don’t have any schools at the moment [that will not reopen], based on the report from the regions. Every school will be open on Monday,” the minister said.

However, she acknowledged that repairs will not be completed at every institution before the start of the term. Schools with outstanding work will use temporary arrangements, including shift systems, tents and temporary timber structures.

Morris Dixon said the Government is particularly concerned about the comfort of students and teachers using temporary facilities amid Jamaica’s current hot conditions.

She said the National Education Trust is working with a provider to supply portable cooling units for schools operating in tents, while ventilation has been incorporated into the design of temporary timber classrooms.

The minister stressed that these arrangements are intended to be temporary, with repair work continuing throughout the school term.

The Government has identified 313 schools as priority-one institutions following the hurricane because of the severity of the damage. However, the pace of repairs varies, with some schools expected to be completed by the end of September, others by October, and institutions requiring major reconstruction potentially taking until next year.

Morris Dixon attributed some of the delays to shortages of labour and construction materials, noting the scale of the national recovery effort.

“When you’re trying to do 300 schools at the same time, while trying to do all the houses and all the businesses and the churches, it’s difficult,” she said.

The minister also said the ministry has increased its monitoring of school rehabilitation projects through unannounced visits and independent inspections.

Beyond restoring damaged facilities, the Government is incorporating measures intended to make schools more resilient to future hurricanes and other disasters, including rainwater harvesting systems, solar technology, stronger roofs and hurricane straps.

Morris Dixon also disclosed that hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on textbooks for the new academic year, with the latest bill she saw amounting to approximately $700 million.

She urged principals, students and families to take proper care of the books being distributed.

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