Government Proposes New School Models To Prevent Learning Loss

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, is proposing several school operational models to support the continuity of learning, to stave off the risk of significant learning loss, especially in children in western Jamaica.

Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, made the announcement during a statement in the Senate on November 21.

Dr. Morris Dixon explained that the models depend on the level of impact hurricane melissa had on a school’s infrastructure.

She said that the Ministry will be instituting the temporary consolidation of some schools starting in Regions 3, 4 and 5.

Region 3 includes the parishes of St. Ann and Trelawny; Region 4, St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland; and Region 5, St. Elizabeth and Manchester.

“We will have to bus some students from where they live in to schools especially if that school is a little further away,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

The Minister noted that the Ministry is also actively exploring the immediate deployment of temporary solutions to resume face-to-face instruction.

“Already, we have received some solutions from the international donor community, and those will be deployed in short order. UNICEF has been a significant partner in our education response,” she said.

“Already, they have come to the table with essential supplies to facilitate the resumption of teaching and learning. They have given us some specialized tents, that will be deployed, I think we have started with 10. They have over 60 more on their way to Jamaica, so we will be making use of those across the education system,” she added.

Dr. Morris Dixon further stated that a long-term recovery strategy will prioritise the creation of a fundamentally more resilient education system.

“The education system cannot continue business as usual. We must wake up to the realities of today. In line with general directives, the Ministry has been instructed to prepare a Resilience Upgrade Plan. Our recovery plan will be intertwined with a phased, multi-year overhaul of school infrastructure that emphasises long-term protection against future climate events,” she said.

Meanwhile, a preliminary request for the phased repair and reconstruction of over 600 affected schools has been submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

To date, 21 public tertiary institutions and 679 schools have been impacted.

The impact has been categorised as: priority one which indicate severe damage and may affect school reopening; priority two, moderate damage, significant repairs needed, however school can operate while repairs are being done; and priority three, minor damage, which indicate that school can operate while repairs are being done.

“Within these categories, there are 239 priority one institutions, 339 priority two institutions, and 101 priority three institutions. The majority of our priority one institutions are in Region 3 (St. Ann and Trelawny), Region 4 (St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland), and Region 5 (St. Elizabeth and Manchester), where the greatest impact of the Hurricane was experienced,” Dr. Morris Dixon said.

“It must, however, be noted that every educational region has experienced damage. I want this Chamber to not only think of the schools, but also the students and staff who use these structures,” she added.

The Minister indicated that approximately 111,177 students and approximately 5,000 staff members have had their daily routine disrupted and their lives upended.

“This is across our public institutions. Many of our private/independent schools have also been severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Reports to date indicate that 126 of the 520 independent schools have been impacted,” she said.