THE Ministry of Education and Youth says the passage of Hurrricane Beryl caused $797 million in damage to schools in six of the seven educational regions.

In a release on Tuesday, the ministry said its technical officers gave the preliminary cost following their post-disaster assessments, and that the majority of this price tag is for schools in the parishes of St Ann and Trelawny.

According to the ministry, schools in other parishes have been negatively impacted but due to the communications disruptions and impassable road conditions the information has not been submitted or verified.

“It must be noted that the preliminary submission does not account for any of the schools in Region 2 (St Mary, Portland and St Thomas) because of the disruptions in amenities. It is hoped that by Friday of this week all the post assessments will be completed so that prioritisation and procurement decisions can be effected,” a release from the ministry said.

The ministry also noted that some libraries suffered infrastructural damage, and as such, some planned summer programme activities, which were geared to serve approximately 2,000 youth across the six regions, will be rescheduled.

“The ministry understands the importance of these programmes and is working diligently to ensure they can proceed as soon as it is safe to do so,” the release said.

It said that of the 110 public libraries under the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), one of the most heavily trafficked branches, the Greater Portmore Branch, has suffered severe damage.

“The violent winds associated with Hurricane Beryl have stripped the facility of its roofing, resulting in its closure to the public until further notice. The Greater Portmore Branch serves 6,587 members from surrounding communities, and its closure has impacted the local populace significantly,” the release noted.

It said that JLS staff members across the network remain actively engaged in recovery efforts, noting that their primary focus is on securing high net-value property such as computers, printers, and book collections to minimise further loss.

“We are pleased to report that, with the exception of the main library in St Elizabeth, all main libraries in the parishes are open for public access. We urge the public to utilise these facilities while recovery efforts are underway,” the release said.

Providing a further breakdown of the damage sustained in the areas assessed, the release noted that at the ministry’s Heroes’ Circle and Caenwood Campus there were significant issues in Buildings 1 and 2, necessitating urgent repairs to prevent further damage and ensure the buildings remain operational throughout the hurricane season.

In terms of the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), the ministry said the majority of the agency’s child-care facilities and offices have only seen minimal damage caused by the passing of Hurricane Beryl.

“There was, however, major damage to the Manning’s Child Care Facility in St Elizabeth. Damage was done to the roofs of the facility’s kitchen, main dining room, a dormitory and the farming equipment storeroom,” it said.

The release further noted that there was also damage done to other children’s homes and the CPFSA will be making contact with the National Works Agency and other government agencies to request repairs be made to those facilities.

For the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), the release said the ministry is actively working with relevant authorities and service providers to ensure the swift restoration of services and infrastructure across the ECC’s Kingston-based headquarters and the 11 resource centres affected.

Education and Youth Minister Fayval Williams was also quoted in the release expressing the ministry’s commitment to addressing the challenges swiftly.

“This Administration is committed to ensuring that our educational facilities are safe, functional and ready for the upcoming school year, especially as we navigate an expected and active hurricane season,” she said.

“The infrastructural safety and functionality of our buildings are paramount… and as such we are mobilising all necessary resources to mitigate further damage and safeguard our staff and students,” she added.