The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information is preparing alternative arrangements, including rotating students on alternate days, for schools that may not be fully repaired by the start of the 2026/27 academic year in September.

This was disclosed by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Senator Marlon Morgan, during a tour of several schools across St. Elizabeth on Monday (August 17) to assess reconstruction work being undertaken in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Senator Morgan said the Ministry is working to ensure that as many schools as possible are fully restored for the start of the new academic year, while noting that some institutions may still have outstanding repairs when classes resume.

He indicated that where repair works are not fully completed, the Ministry will have to implement practical measures to ensure that teaching and learning continue uninterrupted.

“We have to be responsible people… we have to be practical people and solutions-oriented people, in relation to managing and getting on… even while we have suffered displacement,” Senator Morgan emphasised.

According to Senator Morgan, the Ministry is mindful that ongoing construction while schools are in session can pose challenges, including noise and dust.

As such, he said contractors are being urged to complete the work as quickly as possible while maintaining the required quality standards.

During a visit to Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School, Senator Morgan commended the principal, teachers, infant department caregivers, parents, guardians and students for their steadfast commitment to the education process despite having to operate under challenging conditions since Hurricane Melissa.

“So, things would not have been perfect but it speaks to your own understanding as stakeholders and partners, because that’s what education ultimately is about. At the end of the day, we want the boys and girls here at Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School to go on to be their best selves in whatever field of endeavour they choose,” he said. Meanwhile, Senator Morgan, who was accompanied by Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth North Western, Andrew Morris, and education officials during the visit to Glen Stuart Primary, provided an update on repair works being undertaken at the institution at a cost of approximately $140 million.

Among the works that Senator Morgan said have been delayed or remain outstanding are the installation of zinc roofing for the canteen, window installations in several classrooms, and electrical works in the infant department.

He cited contractor-related challenges and adverse weather conditions among the contributing factors.

The back-to-school tour also included visits to Elderslie Primary and Infant School and Maggotty High School, where rehabilitation works are continuing.

At Maggotty High School, rehabilitation works are only about 30 per cent complete, and the institution is not expected to be fully ready for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

Senator Morgan described the slow pace of progress as “far from ideal”, noting that roofing repairs and work on several classroom blocks remain outstanding.

He attributed the slow progress in part to persistent afternoon rainfall and ongoing shortages of critical building materials, including zinc sheeting and window components, noting that demand remains high across several hurricane-affected institutions.

Despite these challenges, Senator Morgan noted that the Ministry is holding the contractor accountable and pressing for measures to accelerate the project, stressing that “students must return to a proper, safe learning environment as soon as possible”.

Regional Director in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Karlene Segre, has encouraged educators to reflect on their schools’ achievements and use the lessons from those successes to build even stronger institutions.

Speaking at the Region Three Back-To-School Leadership Summit for principals and school board chairs in Coral Spring, Trelawny on August 11, Ms. Segre said the region has much to celebrate, pointing to excellence among teachers and students in areas ranging from innovation and entrepreneurship, to robotics, athletics and agriculture.

Among the highlights was Ferncourt High School’s first-place finish in the Junior Achievement Jamaica business pitch competition, which has earned the students a place in the international America’s Company of the Year competition.

She also pointed to St. Hilda’s Diocesan High School, who represented Jamaica in robotics in the Netherlands, and Westwood High School performance in the Schools’ Challenge Quiz Competition.

Ms. Segre implored educators to continue pushing their students towards excellence.

“Set the standards and work towards them diligently until you achieve your goals, and that’s what we want for each school here in Region Three,” she stated.

Other achievements celebrated included the region’s performance in the North West St. Ann Primary quiz competition, where Bamboo Primary School emerged as the winner; the school garden initiatives, which Linton Park Primary School dominated; and the athletic accomplishments of Shanoya Douglas from Holland High School and Sanjay Singh of William Knibb Memorial.

She also highlighted Duval Ebanks, teacher at the Camperdown Primary School, for being chosen as the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Innovation Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Segre also pointed to the region’s infant etiquette programme, which was launched at all infant schools, as part of efforts to develop well-rounded students, which Portfolio Minister, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, endorsed.

The achievements, Ms. Segre said, demonstrated that the region is making progress despite the challenges of the past year.

“We are celebrating teaching excellence. We are celebrating our school gardens. We are celebrating athletic promise, and we have some global reach,” she said.

She acknowledged, however, that the celebration must be accompanied by reflection and renewed effort in areas where the region needs to close the gaps with national performance.

Ms. Segre stressed that school leaders must use their successes as a foundation to identify areas requiring greater attention and go bolder in pursuing better outcomes for their students.

Representatives from government ministries and agencies met with youth leaders for discussions aimed at informing the youth development agenda under the 2027-2030 Medium-Term Socio-economic Policy Framework.

The meeting, held recently at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in Kingston, was the second consultation of the Vision 2030 Jamaica Youth Thematic Working Group.

Focus was placed on reviewing the findings of previous consultations, identifying emerging priorities and contributing to the development of medium-term results, strategies and actions that will guide implementation from financial year 2027/28 to 2029/30.

The engagement reflects the Government’s continued commitment to ensuring that youth development remains a central pillar of Jamaica’s national development agenda through collaborative planning and stakeholder engagement.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe, in her remarks, highlighted the importance of the Youth Thematic Working Group in shaping the development agenda.

“As you know, Vision 2030 Jamaica plans and guides the national development programme of our country, and the Youth Thematic Working Group will play a very important part in how we drive that plan forward.

“So, you represent the engine that will drive the youth development agenda. You are the consultative body ensuring that the voices of young people are not just heard but that they actually shape our national priorities, so that we are not going behind the scenes planning for young people without young people. We want to hear the voice of the young people, and that is what you represent,” she said.

Dr. Troupe told the youth leaders present that it is important for them to return to their respective groups and speak to their peers about the discussions.

For his part, Director General, PIOJ, Dr. Wayne Henry, said it is important to hear the voices of the youth, particularly as the country is in the final leg of the journey under the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan.

He noted that Vision 2023 Jamaica was not meant to be a plan developed in isolation and then delivered to people.

“From its inception, it was a people-centred concept, one established with and formed by the Jamaican people. The youth have always been recognised as a pivotal stakeholder in shaping national development,”  he said, noting that Jamaica’s youth and children are the generation that will benefit from or bear the brunt of the consequences based on the decisions made.

The consultation meeting was geared towards engaging the perspectives and expertise of stakeholders in translating data and policy into priority strategic development imperatives. This will be primarily for the medium-term, towards advancing the achievement of long-term development goals, outcomes and targets.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, says the Government is strengthening its investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, while expanding support for students with special educational needs.

Senator Morgan informed that the Ministry is constructing new STEM academies and increasing the number of professionals available to support students with learning challenges.

Addressing the Ministry’s Region One Back to School Conference at the Grand Palladium Resort in Hanover on July 21, he said the Ministry recently signed a contract for the first of six STEM academies.

He also disclosed that improvements are being made to science laboratories across the island.

“We are seeking to better outfit our science laboratories because the truth is, if we at the national level are placing emphasis on STEM education… we have to have all the things and enabling facilities that will provide our students with practical and enriching experiences,” Senator Morgan explained.

He also highlighted measures to strengthen support for students with special educational needs.

“As a ministry, we are building capacity…[to] better serve our special needs population… we have more diagnostic centres that are coming on stream… we want to have a diagnostic facility in each region,” he said.

Senator Morgan further noted that scholarships are being provided to increase the number of clinicians, therapists and other specialists serving the education system.

The Region One Back-to-School Conference was held under the theme ‘Shaping the Future of Education through Resilience and Innovation’.

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, is reporting progress in the rehabilitation of several schools that were significantly impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

The positive outlook follows a tour of institutions in Westmoreland where work is under way to repair and rebuild classrooms.

She noted that while some projects are moving more quickly than others, she is encouraged by the progress.

“I went to Unity Primary School, Petersfield Primary and Infant, and Coke’s View Primary and Infant. I saw some encouraging work being done,” Dr. Morris Dixon said during Wednesday’s (July 29) post-Cabinet press conference at Jamaica House.

She noted that the Unity Primary School project is $990 million.

“That school is completely being rebuilt and they’re adding new classrooms. Everything will not be ready for September, but we’re putting in place as much as possible,” she stated.

At Petersfield Primary and Infant, $302 million is being spent to undertake the necessary repairs and erect new classrooms. The institution lost an entire classroom block during the hurricane.

“I was there in May and the school was in a really bad shape. I was able to see significant progress from May. In another two weeks, they will have the roof up; most of the existing structure… will be ready,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

Turning to Coke’s View Primary and Infant, where $700 million has been budgeted for repairs, Senator Morris Dixon said that the Ministry will be intervening to speed up the pace of works.

“That one isn’t moving as quickly as the others, and there’s a lot more work to be done,” she pointed out.

Senator Morris Dixon said that the Ministry will continue to monitor the work being done and will soon publish a list of schools being repaired, the work that is being undertaken at those schools, the value of the contracts, who the contractor is, and the level of progress being made on each project.

“We have to be transparent in terms of what’s happening in our schools, and we will be transparent throughout the process… and as I said, because so many of the schools need complete rebuild, they’re not all going to be finished for September. Work will be continuing throughout the period,” she stated.

The Education Minister noted that most of the principals at impacted schools already have contingency plans that will be implemented until the repairs are complete.

“They’re happy because they know they’re going to get a better school at the end of it. It may mean additional time but they’re going to get a better facility, and that’s really what matters,” she said.

A total of 101 students from Clarendon and Manchester have benefited from educational assistance valued at approximately $23 million from Jamalco.

The beneficiaries, from all levels of the education system, are from communities

surrounding the Jamalco mining operations in the two parishes.

The assistance forms part of the company’s long-standing commitment to investing in education and supporting the development of young people within its operating communities.

Another 350 students will receive back-to-school vouchers from Jamalco in August.

Speaking at Jamalco’s annual Education Assistance Awards Ceremony on Wednesday (July 29) at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in Clarendon, State Minister for Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Hon. Rhoda Moy Crawford, commended the company for its support to education.

“As we gather here, we’re doing more than just gifting awards. We are celebrating one of the most vital investments a nation can make – the investment in the education of our people. At the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, we often speak about the necessity of partnership, but Jamalco does not speak about it; Jamalco lives it,” she said.

Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Jamalco, Donna Marie Brooks, noted that the annual Education Assistance Awards Ceremony is more than a routine presentation of scholarships and grants.

“It is a celebration of promise, perseverance and possibility. It stands as a powerful reminder about what happens when a corporate entity chooses to invest, not only in production and operations but in people, families and [the] long-term future of our nation,” she said.

“This is my 16th scholarship awards ceremony and each time I look at the faces… I feel so happy that Jamalco can do what it is doing. I feel a profound sense of pride in the tangible difference that Jamalco is creating across our operating communities and in the wider Clarendon and Manchester areas,” she added.

Zurie Cousins and Neeraj Sahukar of Creative Kids Learning Academy in Kingston have emerged as the top girl and boy, respectively, for the 2026 sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

The outstanding pair will begin the next chapter of their academic journey at Campion College this September.

Both students have been awarded the Guardian Group Foundation Scholarship, which will support them throughout their five-year tenure at high school.

The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information has announced that 32 Government scholarships have been awarded to top-performing students across Jamaica.

The recipients of named Government scholarships are Shomari Harrison of Harbour View Primary, who was awarded the Marcus Garvey Scholarship; Jasonnia Beadle of Park Mountain Primary and Infant and Nathaniel Brooks of Southborough Primary, who received the JAG Smith Scholarship and the George William Gordon Scholarship, respectively; and Nathanael Stewart of White Horses Primary and Infant School, who earned the Paul Bogle Scholarship.

Government of Jamaica scholarships were also granted to 14 boys and 14 girls.

The boys awarded include Jacob Salazar, Yori Vanriel, Darien Hudlin, Kyle Stewart, Dejaun Williams, Jayden Choi, Kristian Campbell, Rafi Duncan, Rhys James, James Whittingham, Jaxon James, Najhaun Morris, Orlando Zinck, and Gabriel Clark.

The girls are Xia Nunes, Christina Magnus, Ariana-Marie Daniels, Sujanne Smith, Akeela Waisome, Anniya McDonald, Ashli-Rai Goodall, Briona Hall, Avery Blagrove, Katalia Smikle, Nia Peddie, Suri Edwards, Skyler Lafayette and Jahneal Kennedy.

Twelve of the 14 boys earned placements at Campion College, while one will be attending Wolmer’s Boys School and another will matriculate to Herbert Morrison Technical High School.

Eight of the girls were placed at Campion College, two at Immaculate Conception High, two at Glenmuir High, and one each at Manchester High and deCarteret College.

Other outstanding PEP students have also been awarded scholarships by several organisations, including the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Massy Gas Products Limited, Petrojam, Seprod, Jamaica Energy Partners, LASCO, Musson and Alva B. Johnson.

School administrators are being reminded to use only the approved standardised student medical report form for all new registrations and support measures aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of children.

The directive comes from the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (MOESYI) in its latest bulletin, which says the standardised form, developed jointly with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) in 2020, remains the only approved document for the medical assessment of students entering schools.

The Ministry noted that some institutions have altered the clinical requirements of the form, a practice that is not permitted, and is urging schools to refrain from altering, removing or adding any clinical requirements.

While institutions may add their official logo or insignia to the document, the Ministry emphasised that its content and prescribed medical requirements must remain unchanged.

According to the Ministry, consistent use of the approved document is essential for maintaining reliable student health records and supporting national health surveillance and student welfare initiatives.

Additionally, school administrators are being called on to strengthen efforts to protect Jamaica’s immunisation programme by ensuring that students’ vaccination records are current.

The Ministry pointed out that Jamaica’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) has successfully eliminated diseases such as polio, measles and rubella locally. However, it warns that the country’s progress remains vulnerable because of the growing threat of imported vaccine-preventable diseases and gaps in vaccination coverage.

Schools are, therefore, encouraged to achieve and maintain at least 95 per cent vaccination coverage to support herd immunity.

Administrators are also being asked to verify that students’ immunisation records are up to date in keeping with the National Schedule, encourage parents and guardians to have children receive all recommended vaccines, and work closely with Parish Health Departments to facilitate school-based vaccination activities and other public health interventions.

The Ministry is also reminding school administrators to continue enforcing all applicable health clearance requirements for student entry and attendance in accordance with standardised guidelines and public health regulations.

Some 88 young Jamaicans are set to benefit from a new industry-led apprenticeship initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s hospitality workforce and creating a direct pathway from training to employment.

The Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme (HAP), a partnership between the HEART/NSTA Trust and Sandals Corporate University (SCU), was officially launched during a ceremony at the Cardiff Hotel and Spa in St. Ann, on July 13, under the theme ‘Bridging Training and Industry Excellence’.

The inaugural cohort, drawn from St. Ann, St. Mary and Westmoreland, will receive structured training in food and beverage restaurant service management, housekeeping operations, culinary arts and hotel property maintenance before being placed at Sandals resorts in St. Ann and Westmoreland for hands-on industry experience.

Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taniesha Ingleton, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s commitment to equipping young Jamaicans with the practical skills and workplace experience needed to meet the demands of one of the country’s most important economic sectors.

“This programme has been designed to provide young Jamaicans, including NEET individuals (not in education, employment or training) and recent graduates of the Sixth Form Pathways Programme, with structured work-based training in hospitality apprenticeship,” she said.

Dr. Ingleton noted that tourism continues to play a critical role in Jamaica’s economy, pointing out that the country welcomed a record 4.15 million visitors in 2024, generating approximately US$4.3 billion in earnings.

“The world continues to choose Jamaica, but when visitors choose Jamaica they’re not only choosing our beaches, our food, our music or our landscape. They are choosing our people,” she said.

The Managing Director emphasised that apprenticeship provides a practical solution to youth unemployment by moving participants “from potential to productivity, from interest to competence and from training to real employment”.

For her part , Deputy Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Cheryl McLaughlin, said months of planning and collaboration between the two organisations laid the foundation for the programme’s successful launch.

She underscored that participants were recruited following an extensive selection process and have already completed orientation sessions covering workplace health and safety, sexual harassment prevention, financial management, and the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees.

Dr. McLaughlin said the apprentices will first undergo intensive employability skills training, including Team Jamaica Member certification, CPR and First Aid, and Hotel Guest Practitioner instruction before transitioning to occupational skills training, leading to nationally recognised National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQ-J) certification.

“This programme represents much more than training, it represents opportunity. It demonstrates what can happen when industry and training institutions work together with a common purpose, and that is to build a pipeline of skilled talent that can contribute immediately to service excellence while at the same time creating meaningful livelihoods for our people,” she said.

Senior Corporate Director at Sandals Corporate University, Dr. Luz Longsworth, described the initiative as a landmark partnership that will help prepare a new generation of hospitality professionals capable of competing globally.

“Today is not just launching another training initiative. Today is about opportunity. Today is about partnership. Today is about transforming your potential into achievement and today is about ensuring that Jamaica continues to produce world-class hospitality professionals who can compete anywhere in the world,” she said.

The Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the HEART/NSTA Trust and Sandals Corporate University to strengthen workforce development by aligning training with the evolving needs of Jamaica’s tourism industry.

Acting Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information, Terry-Ann Thomas Gayle (right), shares a photo opportunity with (back row from left) Jodi Ann Mullings, Vice Principal, St. Mary’s College, Annmarie James; Akeem Mitchell; Christine Howell; Chief Executive Officer ,e-Learning Jamaica, Andrew Lee; Oral Gayle; Community Relations Education Officer, Kereen Reid; Monique Davis-Porter; and Principal, St Mary’s College, Ryan Williams. Seated is student, St Mary’s College, Nathaniel Perkins.  The Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information introduced the IXL Interactive Online Learning Platform as a targeted intervention to support 1,625 grade seven students experiencing challenges in English Language and Mathematics across 56 National School Learning and Intervention Plan (NSLIP) secondary schools. Funded through the Jamaica Education Project (JEP) and supported by e-Learning Jamaica Limited through the provision of tablets, the initiative seeks to improve student outcomes through technology-enabled learning. St Mary’s College has emerged as a leading school in the use of the platform recording more than 10,500 questions answered and over 200 skills mastered.