‘MOVING TARGET’

With approximately six weeks before the commencement of the new school term, the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) is facing a Hurricane Beryl damage assessment bill of $2.7 billion. And the estimated amount, arrived at on Thursday, could increase as the evaluation continues.

Minister of Education Fayval Williams said the figure is a moving target after she was asked by The Gleaner about the likelihood of an increase, with only 309 primary and secondary institutions assessed so far.

She made the disclosure yesterday and provided the nation with updates concerning schools, children’s homes, libraries and youth innovation centres during a press conference on the post-Beryl disaster recovery plan for the education sector.

“It could increase, that was as of yesterday (Thursday) and as you heard, we reported at least two times now and the number keeps climbing as the building assessors go out. Yes, that number could change,” Williams said.

Additionally, the MOEY advised there could be some shifting around of the priority groups.

“Maybe not major but a school maybe assessed to be minor could move up into another category and so it’s a moving target. The important thing is the work to be done not the focus on the number per se … We want to get the work started. We want to see completion because that is the only assurance that we will have that come September schools will be ready,” Williams said.

The MOEY has segmented the affected schools into three priorities, beginning with severely damaged.

“We have to begin the restoration in order to have them in a place where they can be safely opened come September 2, 2024. We have 85 of those schools with an estimated damage of $1.42 billion,” Williams said.

She named schools from Region 5 in St Elizabeth such as Bull Savannah Primary, Sandy Primary, Pedro Plains Primary and Infant, Munro College, and Hampton School for Girls, among others, as severely damaged.

There are 110 schools in the priority group two, and there are those which have suffered damage but can operate while work is underway.

“Moderately damaged and will require significant repairs, and despite their scope of work, these schools will be able to operate while repairs are being undertaken,” Williams shared.

The final category is three, schools that have minor damage and can operate while work is being done.

“There are 114 of those in that category, minimal damage that would include things like fallen trees on fences, on guttering, on roofs,” Williams said.

The ministry has identified contractors for schools, those in the priority one category and while field assessment is still being conducted, restoration work should begin as early as next week.

“We will be using the single source procurement methodology under emergency conditions in keeping with public procurement act and policies… All regions will be dispersed with emergency funds. I know that that process has started already and if not already received very close to received,” Williams said, adding the funds are for cleaning up exercises and other critical activities.

The MOEY said 43 per cent of independent schools reported damage.

Williams said damage was relatively minor across the different facilities of places of safety.

“There was major damage to the Manning’s Child Care facility in St Elizabeth. Damage was done to the roof of the kitchen, dining room, a dormitory and farming equipment storeroom. The greatest importance and what I am most happy to share, our children in state care were safe during the hurricane and are safe since its passage,” Williams said.

The ministry is reporting that among public libraries, numbering 110, there are few with some damage.

There has been damage to the roofing at the Greater Portmore branch which has resulted in closure to the public until further notice.

Other libraries have water damage, resulting from leakage.

Williams says despite minor damage to youth innovation centres, youth engagement continues in those spaces.

The National Education Trust (NET) is the agency responsible for receiving donations, to ensure proper accounting, which will only be used for Hurricane Beryl recovery.

Latoya Harris-Ghartey, executive director of NET, said the agency is open to accepting donations in kind, cash or time, if that allows.

“Check NET first. Why is it important… we are the registered charitable organisation. We are responsible for education development and ensuring that your donation reach where it should be and that we mobilise resources,” Harris-Ghartey said.

She warned about foreign outfits or individuals sending items to schools, noting that if they are not sent in the correct manner they will be delayed at the ports.

“In those delays customs usually send them to us for attention. When they come through this manner, there are fixes with costs associated with those fixes that will have to occur before they can leave the wharf. You are incurring costs to change consignment and also storage,” Harris-Ghartey said, adding that an estimate of the value of the donation need to be assigned.

She said if the donation does not have a value, they do not want it.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com