FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Fully aware of the damage Hurricane Beryl wreaked at Westwood High, a number of other schools in Trelawny are counting their blessings after being spared and they will have no problem reopening in September.

Principal of William Knibb Memorial High Linvern Wright said except for three downed utility poles causing an interruption to the electricity, telephone and Internet supplies, the school was not significantly affected by the hurricane.

“The only hurricane damage would be the poles that are down in the compound and we don’t consider it major because we are getting that repaired. No panic, we good,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Over at Wakefield Primary and Infant School, Principal Michael James also reported that the school was impacted by fallen trees but was quick to note that work is ongoing to address the matter. He too ruled out any threat to September’s reopening.

Their reality was in stark contrast to the extensive infrastructural damage to the roof and other sections of Westwood High School for Girls. But even there, Principal Karen Francis remained optimistic.

“I anticipate that we will pick up the pieces,” she told the Observer.

“We would have sent off some pictures to the Ministry [of Education] and we would have hope that stakeholders will give us some assistance. We are actually short on classrooms, so space is an issue, so we would need to get those rooms back up and running,” she explained.

There was extensive damage to the biology laboratory, parts of the dining room area, railings from the main building, the roof of the technical drawing building, among other areas.

Francis wants repairs completed in time for September as she prefers face-to-face classes.

“Some students did not learn very well in the virtual space. So I would prefer face-to-face,” she responded when asked about going the route of online classes, if it becomes necessary.

Even before Hurricane Beryl Westwood had been facing challenges, still reeling from damage caused by two recent fires which gutted parts of the facility. Repairs have been carried out to the affected dormitory but work on the dining room remains outstanding.

“We still have not received the dining room which is a critical part of our operation,” Francis said.

She is hopeful that stakeholders, including the past students association, will continue to provide support in getting repairs completed.

“They [past students] are refurbishing a building for us just now, so we hope that they will be able to assist us with the repairs from the hurricane as well,” she said.

Regional director at the Ministry of Education and Youth, Region 3, Karlene Segre, who concurred that Westwood High School received extensive damage, gave a list of other less affected schools. These include Falmouth All-Age, William Knibb Memorial High, Refuge Primary School, Wakefield Primary and Infant, Ulster Spring Primary, Ulster Spring Primary, Hague Primary and Infant, Rio Bueno Primary, Granville Primary, and Lowe River Primary.

“They all experienced partial damage to roof and a few also experienced damage to JPS distribution wiring,” Segre said.

She noted that the education ministry is prioritising repairs to plants that suffered most damage in order to get them ready for the new school year.

“First priority will be given to schools where the damage is likely to prevent the school from reopening September — such as where roofs were damaged or blown off from the hurricane and other serious electrical issues,” Segre told the Observer.

“All schools will eventually be repaired. However, emergency procurement procedures will be activated as is necessary under the GOJ procurement guidelines,” she added.