The Integrity Commission has launched an ‘Integrity Corner’ initiative in four primary and preparatory schools, providing dedicated spaces where students can learn about and actively engage with the principles of honesty, fairness, responsibility and ethical behaviour from an early age.

The initiative, currently being piloted at Alvernia Preparatory School and Mona Heights Primary School in Kingston, as well as McIntosh Memorial Primary School and Prattville Primary School in Manchester, forms part of the Commission’s broader corruption prevention and integrity education efforts.

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank, today (September 16), Director of Corruption Prevention, Stakeholder Engagement and Anti-Corruption Strategy at the Commission, Sashein Wright-Chin, described the Integrity Corner as a child-friendly interactive space within the school environment, designed to help students explore and express what integrity means in their everyday lives.

According to Mrs. Wright-Chin, the programme reflects the Commission’s belief that building a society grounded in integrity must begin with the development of values during childhood.

“Very often when we talk about corruption, the conversation centres on investigations, prosecutions, laws, sanctions and enforcement. While those measures are important, we must also ask ourselves how we prevent corruption in the first place,” she said.

A key feature of the initiative is its student-driven approach. Each participating school received an Integrity Starter Kit from the Commission containing posters, integrity storybooks and other educational resources to support the development of the initiative.

In addition to educational materials supplied by the Commission, students contribute their own artwork, posters, messages and creative projects to the Integrity Corner, allowing them to interpret and express the concept of integrity in their own voices.

“We do not want integrity to be something that is simply taught to children. We want them to engage with it, think about it and express it for themselves,” Mrs. Wright-Chin explained.

The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, which has supported its introduction within participating schools and helped to ensure the programme is appropriate for the school environment.

Senior Education Officer, Core Curriculum Unit in the Ministry, Marlon Williams, who also addressed the Think Tank, said there was no hesitation on the part of the Ministry in partnering with the Integrity Commission on this initiative.

“When the Integrity Commission reached out to the Ministry almost a year ago, we did not think twice about the partnership. At the Ministry we are not just concerned about teaching the subjects; we are concerned about developing the whole child. And so, we saw it as an opportunity because what the Integrity Commission introduced is actually reinforcing some of the principles that we are teaching at the Ministry,” Mr. Williams said.

“Ultimately, this is about prevention. If we want to change attitudes towards corruption over the long term, we must invest in shaping values from an early age. We want integrity to become not simply something our children hear about but something they understand, practise and live,” Mrs. Wright-Chin said.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is reporting that 65 of the 306 priority-one schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa have been fully repaired.

This was disclosed by Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey, during a special briefing on Monday (September 14) at the Ministry’s Caenwood Centre Complex in Kingston.

“We have 93 schools that are between 80 and 99 per cent complete; those should be completed between now and October. Then we have another 26 schools that are lined up for the end of December, and those are our most severely damaged institutions,” she said.

The Executive Director also explained why most of the schools have not yet been completed, despite the passage of 11 months since Hurricane Melissa.

“When we started hurricane recovery, we had a plan that spanned 2026 to 2030. The reason being… we are not trying to put back what was there. We learned lessons from [Hurricane] Beryl [and recognised there were issues] that we couldn’t simply fix. We had to preserve taxpayers’ money, and we had to do better than what was there before,” she stated.

“We also introduced new building standards in December 2025, and Hurricane Melissa gave us the opportunity to introduce those standards quicker than we would have if we did not have hurricane recovery,” the Executive Director added.

Mrs. Harris-Ghartey noted that engineers were engaged to conduct structural assessments, and the reports received were used to guide the implementation plan for each school.

She further noted that, in some schools, zinc roofing will be replaced with concrete slab roofs.

“A slab roof can’t be blown off by a Category 5 storm, if it ever happens again. We also took the time to ensure that we were putting in as much features from our building standards as possible. [We looked] at [issues such as] the cooling of the classrooms… that we know existed prior to Hurricane Melissa. So, we are taking the opportunity to really improve, enhance and just ensure that the school environment is better than it was before,” Mrs. Harris-Ghartey said.

The Executive Director further noted that, in some schools, particularly those in the hardest-hit areas, the recovery efforts include elements of rebuilding, with NET reconstructing classroom blocks or, in some cases, entire facilities.

“Those schools will take us longer. For several of those, right now, we have designs that have been produced using our new standards. Our structural engineer has reviewed them to ensure they’re falling in line with the building standards that we have. We’ve also engaged the [Municipal Corporations] to let them know that these schools are targeted for rebuilding and that we want to implement emergency education building, so that we can start the construction ahead of a permit and basically provide the [Municipal Corporations] with as-built drawings once we have completed those,” Mrs Harris-Ghartey explained.

She further indicated that some schools have timber structures in place, and that this is the case for most of the institutions where extensive rebuilding is being undertaken.

“Those were informed by the building standards. So they’re done to the classroom dimensions required for a school at the primary level and the secondary level, depending on the institution. We also looked at ventilation. So you’ll notice they have windows to allow for cross ventilation and ensure that the classrooms aren’t heated,” the Executive Director said.

“There’s flooring, because we know flooring is [an important issue]. We also put in fans. as we know it’s hot and that we’re all feeling the effects of the weather. We’re also trying to improve where we’ve deployed tents… usually where the construction period should be shorter. So, we are listening to our stakeholders and we’re looking to put in whatever cooling mechanisms we can,” Mrs. Harris-Ghartey added.

Some 500 educators are expected to receive training under the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) Programme, during the academic school year.

Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, made the disclosure during a post-Cabinet press briefing held on Wednesday (September 9) at Jamaica House.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and the Scientific Research Council (SRC), to implement the initiative islandwide.

The MOU was signed by Executive Director of the ECC, Karlene DeGrasse Deslandes and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Rocky Meade.

“We will begin with a cohort of some 50 Early Childhood Commission master trainers, experienced practitioners from the Commission’s own network, trained not simply to teach science but to teach the teaching of science. Those 50 will reach 500 educators in this financial year alone. Each one of the 500 trained will stand every morning in front of a classroom,” Dr. Wheatley said.

“The maths is simple, which is also science. Fifty becomes 500, and 500 becomes something in the order of 10,000 Jamaican children in a single school year. The first 50 are not finished when the first 500 teachers are trained. They remain within the Commission, in the parishes, ready to train the next 500, and the 500 after that,” he added.

The Minister informed that the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund is providing $50 million for the acquisition of advanced Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) kits.

Dr. Wheatley also expressed appreciation to the SRC for applying its expertise to the procurement of the kits and to the next activity books.

“The memorandum we signed today gives this work a clear framework, defined roles, strong training, quality assurance, and continuity,” he said.

The NEST Programme is aimed at introducing science at the early childhood level.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, has been tasked with spearheading the Ministry’s boys’ education agenda.

This was disclosed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kasan Troupe, during Wednesday’s (September 9) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

She explained that, at the end of the last academic year, the education system was experiencing some level of gender inequity.

“So the boys are trailing the girls. We have gone already into the workshop to look at how we will be supporting our schools this year under the leadership of Senator Morgan. He will be leading the boys’ education machinery in the Ministry. The technical work has begun, and you will hear more about that as we… support our teachers, looking at other activities that will help and enrich the experiences for our boys,” Dr. Troupe stated.

“We want them to catch up. We want them to be good husbands and good fathers… good partners. We have daughters and we want them to find good men tomorrow. So we have a responsibility to make sure that our boys can stand out and stand up in Jamaica,” she added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Troupe informed that more than 8,000 teachers worked with the Jamaica Teaching Council during the summer to ensure they were adequately capacitated and prepared for the 2026-27 academic year.

“I want to salute our National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC). We touched over 56,000 parents between April and September to get our students ready and our parents ready to provide quality parenting, as we work to get it right in the education system. I want to salute the parents who have been working with us,” she stated.

The NPSC, an agency of the Ministry of Education, coordinates a wide range of services for parents and also delivers programmes aimed at strengthening parenting skills and promoting greater parental involvement in education.

The NPSC works to strengthen partnerships between home and school, guided by the principle that parental involvement is critical to student success.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information has allocated $714 million to its maintenance programme for the 2026/27 fiscal year.

This was disclosed by Director of Technical Services, Carey Brown, during a special briefing held on Monday (September 14) at the Ministry’s Caenwood Centre Complex in Kingston.

He advised that the maintenance programme includes infant-school projects and the rehabilitation of special education facilities.

Mr. Brown said the programme also covers staff-room improvements and addresses termite infestations in schools.

Additionally, the Director indicated that each of the Ministry’s regions had been allocated $30 million to undertake critical emergency repairs, and is responsible for paying the contractors engaged to carry out the works.

Mr. Brown added that approximately 300 schools are expected to benefit from the programme during this year.

State Minister for Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hon. Rhoda Moy Crawford, officially opened the 2026/2027 academic year on Monday (Sept. 14), urging students to pursue excellence and bloom where they are planted.

“We want the best for you. Everyone wants the best for themselves and their children but even when you do not achieve thet best in the moment, don’t give up. Don’t get sad; don’t feel hopeless,” she said.

She was addressing the ceremony held at the Devon Primary and Infant School in Manchester.

The occasion included the opening of a new $2 million playground at the institution, which was established through support from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund (CHASE) Fund.

The State Minister said that the fully equipped playground, which is designed to meet the requirements of the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), will serve as a zone of fun and learning for children.

Giving an update on the repair of hurricane-damaged schools, she informed that 57 severely damaged priority-one schools have been completed.

Work is advanced on an additional 95 schools, which are scheduled for completion by the end of October, and another 34 institutions are slated to finish by the end of December 2026.

Approximately 60 per cent of the badly damaged institutions are expected to be ready by the end of the first term.

Principal of the school, Nadine Nembhard-Foster in her remarks, welcomed the completion of the playground, noting that it provides a safe space for children to engage in wholesome play.

She expressed thanks to the teachers for their contribution, particularly Infant Department Coordinator, Cassandra Campbell, for championing the project.

“It is one of the required standards from the ECC. We had a big dream to make this one of our reality…we got 70 per cent funding from CHASE Fund and the other 30 per cent, we raised funds,” she informed.

The Digicel Foundation is set to undertake a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion project at the Port Maria Special Education Unit in St. Mary this financial year, as part of a wider push to enhance special education services across the island.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Manager for Education and Special Needs at the Foundation, Jamilia Crooks-Brown.

She was speaking during a handover ceremony for five renovated classrooms at The Mico University College Child Assessment and Research in Education (CARE) Centre in St. Andrew on Thursday (September 3).

Mrs. Crooks-Brown said the Foundation will undertake improvements to the Port Maria Special Education Unit, which is currently housed in a container unit.

“That project will create proper classrooms, bathrooms and a dedicated teacher area,” she informed.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, on Monday (September 7), officially launched Hydel Cumberland High School in St. Catherine, coinciding with the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

The institution was established through the strategic merger of Hydel High School and Cumberland High School in the parish.

Speaking during the launch ceremony at the Cumberland campus in Portmore, St. Catherine, Dr. Morris Dixon emphasised that the merger will preserve and build on the rich legacy of both founding institutions.

“It’s important to note that this merger does not in any way mean the erasure of either institution. Both schools have strong histories, and we have to maintain that as we move forward. So our goal is to bring the best of two proud traditions together… building a new institution capable of achieving even more,” the Minister said.

She expressed confidence that the merger offers the best opportunity for students, as it will enable more effective use of the resources available at the Cumberland facility.

Senator Morris Dixon noted that the Cumberland campus, with a capacity of 1,200 students, was underutilised, enrolling just over 300 students.

Conversely, the Minister pointed out that the Hydel campus, which serves 600 students, was facing infrastructure challenges despite the Government having assumed responsibility for its secondary-level operations.

“Rather than maintaining duplicated administrative and support structures or undertaking significant new infrastructure expenditure elsewhere, we have an opportunity to bring resources together and direct more of them towards teaching, learning, and student development,” Dr. Morris Dixon reasoned.

Highlighting investments at the newly merged institution, the Minister noted that $70 million has already been invested in upgrading the electrical system.

Additionally, plans are in place to modernise the home economics laboratory to world-class standards, reinforcing the school’s position as a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre of excellence.

Further improvements will focus on upgrading the sports facilities and expanding the car park to support an increased complement of teaching staff.

Principal of Hydel Cumberland High School, Carlon Pitt, assured stakeholders that academics remain at the forefront of the institution’s agenda, announcing a series of immediate curriculum enhancements.

“I am pleased to report that a comprehensive timetable has already been formulated, providing our students with broader opportunities and stronger academic pathways,” he said.

Mr. Pitt further announced the introduction of a traditional sixth-form programme, marking a first for the campus, which previously offered only a technical sixth form.

The Principal also stated that science subject offerings have been expanded, and plans are under way to establish an agricultural laboratory.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for St. Catherine South Eastern, Dr. Alfred Dawes, commended the stakeholders who have supported the vision for the newly merged institution.

“What we are seeing here today is not a subtraction; there is no loss. It is a multiplication. More value for the school, more value for the students, and more value for Portmore,” he stated.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, says the Hurricane Melissa reconstruction programme has presented an opportunity to make schools more resilient.

In her 2026 Back-to-School broadcast on September 5, Senator Morris Dixon said some 688 schools were damaged by the hurricane, and that 313 of these were severely damaged.

“Almost $26 billion is being spent on the repairs and reconstruction of our schools. The repairs are not advancing as fast as we would like in some schools but once we have this work completed, our schools will be stronger than ever,” she continued.

The Minister expressed thanks to the excellent work of principals, boards and the Ministry team, noting that it is expected that all schools will open today (September 7), even where repairs are not completed.

“I thank our principals, teachers, and contractors… and I want to say a special thank you to every single mason, carpenter, electrician, plumber who has worked on our schools. You are true heroes and we salute all of you,” she said.

“Our Melissa reconstruction programme has not only presented an opportunity to make our schools more resilient, but it has also provided an opportunity to upgrade and renovate staffrooms for educators across Jamaica. The Staffroom Renovation Programme covers 74 institutions in the first phase, with work concentrated heavily in the parishes hardest hit by Melissa,” she added.

The Minister also disclosed that there are more improvements under way beyond hurricane repairs, and that an unprecedented $400-million investment is being made into technical and vocational education in high schools.

“Starting with our technical high schools, each of our technical high schools will be receiving one state-of-the-art laboratory in new areas such as autonomous robotics, renewable energy, virtual welding, electrical engineering, industrial controls, and optoelectronics,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

Also, through the Jamaica Education Programme, the Ministry is retooling science labs.

“We cannot become a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) country without having equipment in our bio, physics, and chemistry labs. Students of today must be given the space and exposure to the best equipment to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow’s industry,” she stated.

In terms of connectivity, more than 150 satellite systems have been distributed to schools, with more devices in procurement to add another level of access to the Internet in even the most rural institutions.

“We are building back our schools better than they were before,” the Minister said.