PLEA FOR PATIENCE

Repairs to more than half of the schools severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa should be completed by the end of the year, Dr Kasan Troupe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, has disclosed.

Addressing yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew, Troupe said renovations at 57 of the more than 300 schools that were extensively damaged by Hurricane Melissa last year have been completed. A further 95 should be completed by the end of October, while an additional 34 are expected to be repaired by December.

“Repose your confidence in this technical team, in the central ministry. We are working hard to make this happen. We said from the very onset that schools that are badly damaged will take 24 months to be completed,” she said.

The Government has come under pressure over the slow pace of school renovations. Schoolchildren, especially those in western Jamaica, have started the new academic year in less-than-ideal circumstances, with some attending classes outside under trees.

“Fixing all the schools at the same time is a very difficult proposition. And fixing all of them within the constraints that we have in the country is a difficult proposition,” Education Minister Senator Dana Morris Dixon said during the press briefing.

She noted that the education system received the largest portion of the rehabilitation budget. Nearly $26 billion was allocated to the education sector following the passage of the Category 5 storm, which damaged about 688 schools, with 313 suffering severe destruction.

“We used those funds to repair our schools and we’ve done it in as transparent a manner as we can. We have given contracts, you know; all of these schools, you had to have teams go out,” she said.

“We had to have engineers going out to the schools, because the administration and our prime minister’s directive to us was that we can’t build back the way it was before ... we have to build back better. Building back better means it may take longer,” she said.

WILL TAKE TIME

Troupe noted that the schools are being rebuilt according to World Bank standards that support quality and resilient school infrastructure.

She reiterated that the total rehabilitation of schools “will take some time”.

“We regret the difficulties that you have seen out there. We do not want this for our learners, but education is a team sport. We will need all hands on deck. So parents, we crave your patience. Teachers, we crave your patience. We are working assiduously to ensure that the learning environment and the working condition of the teacher is comfortable and welcoming,” she said.

She also stated that $3.5 million has been disbursed to schools to address operational costs and provide nutritional support. A further $75 million has been allocated to 275 schools to repair their canteens.

Additionally, she said $300 million was spent to provide furniture to schools. Prior to the reopening of schools, she said 17,000 pieces of furniture were distributed, with a further 8,000 pieces delivered just before classes resumed.

In addition, 20,000 pieces are being prepared for further distribution.

She said contracts were finalised last week with book suppliers, with $700 million allocated to resource high schools and $300 million to primary schools.

Troupe said a new funding model, along with guidelines, was provided to principals in tandem with the disbursements.

“Too often we hear our teachers talk about not having enough resources to enrich the learning experience for the learners. We have indicated to our principals that 45 per cent of the grants should be spent on [providing resources for] learning, so teachers can have additional resources,” she said, noting that this adds up to about $3.2 billion.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com