Gov’t Crafting Emergency Education Plan for Students in Hardest-Hit Parishes

The Government is crafting an emergency education plan for students in parishes worst affected by the passage of category-five Hurricane Melissa.

Addressing a Special Press Briefing at Jamaica House on Thursday (October 30), Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, said some schools in parishes that fared better may reopen on Monday (November 3).

Dr. Morris Dixon advised that Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, has been tasked with spearheading the emergency plan for students in St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James and Hanover.

“Right now, it’s about getting food to individuals. It’s about getting those who may be injured assistance. It is not the time really for those concerns, but we are starting to think about it and we will give you updates at the appropriate time,” she explained.

She indicated that assessment of schools across the island is ongoing to determine the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, Dr. Morris Dixon said there are challenges even in areas that were not badly affected by the hurricane.

“We’re in Kingston and when you drive around Kingston you see some fallen trees, but it’s not bad at all. That’s not the case in other parts, so where we know that schools can resume, we will be doing so on Monday, but a lot of our schools do not have electricity and they do not have water,” she said.