St Ann schools make strides after Hurricane Melissa

The National Education Trust (NET) has spotlighted the Bamboo Primary School and the Marcus Garvey Technical High School in St Ann as standing as ‘powerful symbols of resilience, recovery and renewed hope’ in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

The trust, an agency of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, recently visited the institutions as part of its ongoing post-hurricane restoration efforts.

Both schools sustained significant infrastructural damage, with several classrooms and roofs affected by the passage of the hurricane. The NET reports however that rebuilding efforts are actively taking place, bringing renewed optimism to administrators, staff, students and the wider community.

At the Bamboo Primary School, Acting Vice Principal, Tricia Scarlett-Cameron, expressed her appreciation for the swift intervention and ongoing construction works: “Due to Hurricane Melissa, the school experienced extensive damage. However, the construction team is now on site, and the roofing works have been completed to a high standard. The new roofs are well done and truly impressive. I look forward to the completion of the building, as I know our students will soon return to classrooms that are conducive to learning. We are grateful to the National Education Trust and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information for helping us to rebuild our school.”

At the Marcus Garvey Technical High School, Acting Principal Richard Williams highlighted the severe impact of the hurricane and the importance of the ongoing rehabilitation efforts: “Hurricane Melissa significantly affected our school. Several classrooms sustained damage, and roofs were blown off. We are deeply grateful to the National Education Trust and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information for coming on board to assist us in rehabilitating these critical areas, which are urgently needed for our students.”

Latoya Harris-Ghartey, executive director of the NET, in the release, reaffirmed trust’s commitment to supporting affected institutions across the island, noting: “At NET, we recognise that schools are more than physical structures; they are spaces of opportunity, development and transformation. Our restoration efforts at the Bamboo Primary School and the Marcus Garvey Technical High School are focused not only on rebuilding infrastructure, but on restoring stability, confidence and hope for every student and educator.”