Growth & Jobs | Hurricane-battered schools in Manchester need support to keep learning uninterrupted

WITH SEVERAL of their classrooms and essential infrastructure still in need of repair following the devastating passage of Hurricane Beryl in July, both the Victor Dixon High and New Forest Primary and Infant schools in Manchester are facing challenges maintaining basic operations. Despite their best efforts to keep learning uninterrupted, the schools urgently need financial support to fully restore their facilities.

The Category 4 hurricane left both institutions with significant roof and water damage, reducing space capacity for students and teachers ahead of the new academic year.

Ian Newman, teacher and dean of discipline at Victor Dixon High School, said approximately 50 per cent of the school’s operating spaces was compromised, forcing all activities to the ground level.

“We have tried to commandeer other spaces to assist us in conducting our different classes, particularly for fifth-form students,” he said, emphasising that some lessons are being conducted outdoors, under gazebos, and in the lunchroom because of the limited classroom spaces.

“There have been times since the reopening of school where we have had to run from the gazebos outside to get shelter inside, and persons had to be standing in the passageway and scampering for other classrooms for teachers to conduct their lessons,” he said.

Newman said despite the workarounds, the situation is raising frustration among staff, students, and other stakeholders connected to the school.

“Financial support will, in my estimation, improve the rate at which our recovery process can take place so that we can return to normal operation mode. Any aid and support at this time will reduce some of the unnecessary stresses, and Victor Dixon High will welcome any support from any person or institution by way of donation, gifts, or even physical labour input,” he said.

In south Manchester, Sharon Anderson, principal of New Forest Primary and Infant School, said they, too, have “had to be geniuses” to make school operational despite the devastation.

“We’re not doing too badly now, but it has been a rough couple of weeks. I’ve been on the ground every day since the passage of the hurricane,” Anderson shared.

“Each grade typically has three classrooms, but due to the damage, I had to borrow a classroom from grade six, leaving us with two classrooms for that grade. I also borrowed one room from grade five, and we’re using those classrooms to host grade one students,” she said, adding that two additional classrooms were also temporarily set up in a recently completed space that is to serve as a dining hall for the students.

Restoration activities at the New Forest Primary and Infant School received a boost recently, courtesy of a $1-million donation from JN Money customers and staff. JN Money had also handed over care packages to the school in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The JN Foundation, which is managing the JN Group’s I Support Jamaica Fund for Beryl victims, coordinated the donations.

Claudine Allen, general manager of the JN Foundation, said the fund is still open to receiving donations that will go towards supporting the two Manchester schools and other affected spaces in and around the region. Persons can donate to the fund at JN Bank Jamaica, account number 2094768349. Details on more ways to donate are also on the JN Group and JN Foundation websites.

“Much of the world has moved on, but those who were severely affected haven’t. We have young, bright students who are still in temporary shelters because their classrooms have not yet been repaired. JN Foundation or Jamaica National will benefit in no way or form from the funds being donated to the I Support Jamaica Fund except that we will get the gratification of knowing that we assisted, and from our end, we have waived all fees for the donations,” she said.