All schools to reopen early January

At least 160 schools remain closed for teaching and learning weeks after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

These schools are expected to reopen on January 6, 2026, according to Minister of Finance and the Public Service Fayval Williams.

Of the 160 schools not yet reopened, 100 have been impacted by the Category 5 storm.

Responding to questions during a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, Williams said 59 of the schools are serving as shelters for persons displaced by the hurricane.

Williams told members of the committee that of the 1,010 public schools across the country, 721 were damaged by Hurricane Melissa. She said, however, that 850 schools have reopened.

In addition to the allocation of $616 million to carry out clean-up exercises in schools after the storm, the Government has set aside $1.7 billion in the Third Supplementary Estimates for public schools for the period ending March 31, 2026.

editorial@gleanerjm.com