Japan Donates School Bus to Port Antonio Primary

Students and staff of Port Antonio Primary School in Portland now have improved access to safe, reliable transportation, following the donation of a 2026 Toyota Coaster Bus by the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica.

The vehicle, valued approximately US$73,000, was handed over to the school on Tuesday (April 28).

The provision was made possible through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects of the Government of Japan, in collaboration with the National Education Trust (NET).

Delivering remarks during the handover ceremony, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, emphasised that transportation is a vital component in the educational development of the nation’s youth.

“The business of transportation in education is an important one because you can readily appreciate how important it is for our students, the key stakeholders in the business of education, to be able to get to and from their place of teaching and learning with relative ease and in a manner that is safe and reliable and, importantly, dignified,” he said.a

Senator Morgan expressed gratitude to the Embassy for the donation and for their continued support of the nation’s schools in both transportation and infrastructure.

He noted that the bus will significantly support school-related activities, making trips for extracurricular competitions and other engagements possible.

The Parliamentary Secretary encouraged the student body to take responsibility for the proper care of the vehicle.

“We want two, three, four years from now, when we happen to come to Port Antonio Primary, or we pass the bus on the road, which would bear the name of your school, as it does now, that we can see that it is in fairly good condition because that’s an important aspect of it,” he stated.

Senator Morgan also urged the students to continue supporting and utilising the rural school bus system, which also ensures safe transportation to and from school.

Meanwhile, NET Executive Director, Latoya Harris-Ghartey, emphasised the vital role of partnerships in advancing education.

“Our big mandate is to galvanise resources and to secure investments for education. We can only do that through partnerships; intentional partnerships are what provide long-lasting and impactful results for students,” she said.

In his remarks, Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Kohei Maruyama, explained that the donation was intended to ensure students no longer face challenges with transportation.

“It will help them to travel to school and take part in many activities safely, allowing them to focus on learning and achieving their dreams,” he noted.

Ambassador Maruyama expressed his hope that the new bus would provide students with greater punctuality, enhanced safety, and a renewed sense of pride.

The grant agreement for the vehicle was valued US$73,038, of which US$72,238 was disbursed.

The Ministry of Education contributed US$4,032 (J$653,184), while the remaining grant funds will be utilised to cover audit services for the project.

Since 1995, the Government of Japan’s Grassroots Human Security Grant Programme has invested more than J$1.5 billion in Jamaica, supporting more than 120 projects nationwide.