The Ministry of Education and Youth has a a vision that seeks to “rebuild or remake” schools that have fallen behind in their infrastructure development.

The vision, which was shared today (May 17) by Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams highlights that infrastructure plays an important part in education transformation.

“Many of our schools were constructed many decades ago and they served their purpose then. Today, we need a new vision of school infrastructure and we have to set out to rebuild or remake our schools that have fallen behind in their infrastructure development. It is not beyond us, said Williams, who noted that it would take time but nevertheless urges Jamaicans to keep the vision in mind.

The Minister was delivering her presentation in the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate today (May 17).

“Our aspirations are for our schools to be architecturally pleasing with lots of natural light streaming into the classrooms. For classrooms to have cooling or air conditioning powered by renewable energy of which we have plenty during school days. For there to be calming colours, pleasing classroom furniture and electronic boards rather than blackboards,” she added.

Williams expressed that schools should have “properly equipped playfields for football and cricket and netball and track and field” and that other amenities such as tennis courts or swimming pools cold be present as alumni groups see fit.

However, “there must be a minimum provided by the government for all schools,” she said.

“I know we already have schools with that vision in Jamaica, but just a few. We want a major transformation of our schools’ infrastructure Madam Speaker,” she added.

The minister then said, “In the meantime, while we hold this vision in our minds and are working towards it, we know we have to attend to the immediate needs of schools now in 2023.”

She said that the Ministry will be publishing a listing of all the maintenance work, including fencing, electrical repairs and general major infrastructure work that was done in the previous fiscal year, work currently underway and what work that is expected in this fiscal year.

“The infrastructure budget of the Ministry of Education and Youth is roughly J$1.5 billion to help us to keep the existing schools functional,” she said, highlighting electrical upgrading projects across 49 schools for a total of J$244 million and the construction of security fencing projects for 56 schools with a budget of J$73 million among others.

RELATED ‘Despite ChatGPT, teachers still matter’, says Education Minister

Send feedback to [email protected]