PRIVATE SCHOOLS LEFT IN THE DARK

The Jamaica Independent Schools Association (JISA) is raising concerns over what it describes as “insufficient engagement” from the Ministry of Education as private institutions struggle to recover from the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

JISA President Tamar McKenzie told The Gleaner that 10 of the 12 independent schools in Westmoreland were severely affected, with three currently inoperable and all reporting incidents of looting.

She added that most of the 37 independent schools in St James also sustained damage, with those in Montego Bay particularly hard hit.

“I think one of the things that all educators, all school administrators, whether we’re public schools or private schools, need to understand is, what is the recovery plan? What are the strategies that are going to be employed for us to recover as a nation for us to manage education differently within this new context that we’re operating in?” McKenzie stated.

She noted that during previous crises, including Hurricane Beryl and the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry conducted surveys to assess private schools’ needs, but no action followed.

Sceptical of a repeat approach, McKenzie has written to the ministry requesting independent schools’ inclusion in post-hurricane relief and clean-up funding.

McKenzie emphasised the importance of meaningful dialogue with the ministry, highlighting the need for temporary infrastructural support such as water tanks, generators, and tents for severely affected schools. She also stressed access to emergency grants or clean-up subventions to expedite readiness for face-to-face teaching.

“Do we need to galvanise our members in some of the communities that they’re going to and meet together in one space? Because we could meet in one space and start a conversation. That would be great for us to be included, for us to have an actual face and a voice in the conversation so you can also understand what is happening in our context,” she told The Gleaner.

On Wednesday, following her advocacy, a meeting was held with the Development Bank of Jamaica to discuss financing options to assist schools in rebuilding.

McKenzie, who is also principal of The Heinz Simonitsch School in Ironshore, Montego Bay, noted that her institution sustained extensive roof damage during the Category 5 storm and lamented that private schools like hers are being overlooked in recovery efforts.

“Anywhere you turn it, you can see that private schools continue to be left out,” she said.

SEVERE DAMAGE

In St James, Eber Kindergarten and Preparatory School, Emann Preparatory and Childcare School, Teamwork Christian Academy, and Montego Bay Christian Academy were severely affected. Paradise Preparatory School in Westmoreland, Black River Preparatory School in St Elizabeth, and Glenmuir Preparatory School in Clarendon were also among those damaged.

“We consistently see our private schools struggling, and we are present to celebrate the successes that they achieve. ... We give our private schools all of the credit for the work that they put in, but when it comes to standing with the private schools that have been affected, we’re not seeing anything. And it really has to stop,” said McKenzie, who leads a 150-member organisation.

She also criticised what she called the centralised response by the ministry, calling it neither sustainable nor efficient, and stressed that existing structures could address such situations more effectively.

The Ministry of Education, for its part, told The Gleaner that independent schools would have access to the same core post-hurricane relief and recovery measures as public schools. These include contingency learning modalities, host-school initiatives for displaced students, psychosocial services, and integration into the ministry’s regional support framework to ensure coordinated planning, resource deployment, and accountability.

The ministry said it is finalising the distribution of learning resources, including printed and digital kits and pre-broadcast lessons to support uninterrupted learning, particularly in areas with unstable connectivity. It will also issue official letters to endorse schools’ applications to financial institutions for temporary relief from mortgage and loan repayments disrupted by the hurricane.

Teachers in independent schools who contribute to the National Housing Trust are eligible for its disaster-assistance initiatives, the ministry noted. All affected teachers and staff are also encouraged to access relief packages distributed through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Cabinet recently approved a $500 million relief grant for more than 600 schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa. The ministry said that independent schools hosting displaced students through its placement process would be eligible for clean-up grants. However, McKenzie called this clause unreasonable.

“It is ridiculous because if we are helping education, and we are helping children of Jamaica, and we are helping all schools, we should be helping without caveat,” she said. “The only caveat should be [once] the school is a fully registered independent school, we should be helping them. Not if they’ve been helping public-school children.”

The ministry said it would formally engage the DBJ on behalf of independent schools to facilitate access to the M5-Framework Programme, which provides financing, technical support, and guidance for structural reconstruction, long-term recovery, and climate-resilient building standards.

“Independent schools are urged to contact their respective ... regional offices without delay to complete their needs assessments and begin accessing the available support. The ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to working with all education stakeholders to rebuild stronger, safer, and more resilient institutions for Jamaica’s children,” it said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com