All schools to be closed on September 2 and 3 for general election
AINSWORTH MORRIS / Our Today
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Following the announcement of the general election date of September 3, a decision has been made for all schools to remain closed on September 2 and 3.
The decision was made by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the election date at a mass rally in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew.
Schools, for decades, have been used as polling stations islandwide during elections.
Under the revised schedule:
- Monday, September 1, 2025—Schools reopen as scheduled for orientation and other administrative activities. Students who do not require orientation will not be asked to attend school on Monday, September 1.
- Tuesday, September 2, 2025 and Wednesday, September 3, 2025—all schools closed.
The ministry said in a press release: “Following extensive consultations with key education stakeholders, including the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA), Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPSS), the National Parent Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ), and the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ), it was agreed that the school year should begin as planned in order to avoid any extension of the school year.”
For her part, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. The Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, said: “We recognise the importance of preserving the integrity of the school calendar and our children’s education. This decision reflects the strong consensus among education stakeholders that the school year should not be extended, while still accommodating the democratic process.”
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