Russell calls for immediate action as schools face resource, infrastructure issues

Dr Kenneth Russell, deputy opposition spokesperson on education and community development, has expressed concern that some schools lack the basic resources to operate when they reopen next week.

“It’s one thing to reopen and to have the doors open, and so forth. It’s another thing for that space to function as schools are supposed to function,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“ ... Some schools, even before Beryl, had a [furniture] shortage, and some of them had additional losses since, so effective learning cannot take place if the students do not have the proper [resources] ... to participate effectively in what’s happening in the classroom,” Russell said even as he urges the education ministry to ensure that all schools are adequately refurbished before reopening.

Noting that some schools struggled with infrastructural challenges before Beryl, he said this was another reason why there needs to be a comprehensive schools’ resilience plan, a point also made by Waynette Strachan, the junior opposition spokesperson on education.

“While we focus, rightly so, on what Beryl has done, we also want to make sure those infrastructural challenges which existed before - roofs that were leaking, inadequate sanitation facilities, dilapidated classrooms - that these get priority as part of the process of preparing for the reopening of schools,” Russell said.

“ ... We cannot stress this enough: If you don’t have conducive learning environments, then you’re not going to get the learning that you require, and so this needs to be a priority as part of ensuring schools can function,” he said.

Russell said some schools are also without sufficient books as the contracts for the rental of textbooks have not been put in place.

Additionally, some schools have not received the books that they requested, a situation he described as unacceptable just days before the start of the school year.

Speaking at the same press conference, Strachan said the prolonged delays in restoring electricity post-Beryl, especially in the hard-hit St Elizabeth, underlines the need for schools to have their own power sources.

Additionally, she said the Government needs to ensure that there is adequate water at schools, especially those without piped water, to ensure that basic hygiene and sanitation needs are met.

She also calls on the Government to strengthen the infrastructure and focus on proper retrofitting plans by investing in hurricane-resistant material and designs for schools.

“Retrofitting existing structures to make them more resilient to flooding is essential for us. [There is also a need for] comprehensive emergency-preparedness plans, regular training, and drills for our students, teachers, and staff in disaster preparedness and response,” Strachan said.

“While we recognise that the efforts made thus far are good, there is much more work to be done. No child should be out of school or missing Jamaican school time because of the hurricane,” she said.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com