Over a hundred and sixty Jamaican schools are still closed weeks after a major hurricane hit the island. The Finance Minister, Fayval Williams, stated that a hundred of those were directly impacted by the Category 5 storm, with fifty-nine facilities still operating as shelters for displaced people. The government expects classes to resume across the country on January sixth.
Officials noted that more than seven hundred public schools suffered some damage, with almost three hundred deemed severely affected. Despite this, eight hundred and fifty schools have managed to reopen already. The administration has allocated hundreds of millions in funding for cleanup, with billions more set aside in supplementary budgets for longer-term repairs.
The national teachers union has expressed serious doubts about the January timeline, criticizing a lack of coordination with the Education Ministry. Their president, Mark Malabver, warned that the rushed schedule could cause major system inefficiencies and an uneven transition. He noted that while repairs are progressing at some institutions, others lag far behind, especially those still housing storm evacuees, making a smooth nationwide reopening unlikely.
Officials noted that more than seven hundred public schools suffered some damage, with almost three hundred deemed severely affected. Despite this, eight hundred and fifty schools have managed to reopen already. The administration has allocated hundreds of millions in funding for cleanup, with billions more set aside in supplementary budgets for longer-term repairs.
The national teachers union has expressed serious doubts about the January timeline, criticizing a lack of coordination with the Education Ministry. Their president, Mark Malabver, warned that the rushed schedule could cause major system inefficiencies and an uneven transition. He noted that while repairs are progressing at some institutions, others lag far behind, especially those still housing storm evacuees, making a smooth nationwide reopening unlikely.
