Start of new academic year in jeopardy after Hurricane Beryl inflicts J$800 million in school damage
/ Our Today
administrator
There could be possible delays in the commencement of the new academic year due to the significant damage to schools following the passage of Hurricane Beryl last week.
Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams this week reported that the education sector has been dealt a blow by the hurricane, with preliminary estimates indicating nearly J$800 million in damage.
Leighton Johnson, president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), is now recommending that the Education Ministry establish a special fund to deal with natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, as well as fires that may damage or destroy school infrastructure.
Johnson is calling on the ministry to take steps to aid in the speedy repair of affected schools, especially early childhood institutions.
“The damages done to several schools were extensive and will require significant amounts of money to effect repairs. We are urging the Ministry of Education to expedite the process of assessing the damage done to these institutions to ascertain the true cost of repairs. The summer holidays present a very small window for these repairs to be affected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Johnson is recommending that the government consider insuring schools against disasters, a move he believes will improve the sector’s resilience, noting that immediate and urgent attention must be placed on primary and infant schools that were damaged.
Our Today understands that the Ministry is also looking to shift the National Summer Academy online due to the extensive damage to schools caused by the hurricane.
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