KINGSTON, Jamaica— Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams said she is delighted to see schools across Jamaica reopening on the September 2 start date, considering the damage many institutions suffered during the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July.

She was speaking on Monday during devotions for grade seven students at Jamaica College.

Williams praised the efforts of the ministry as the reason for schools opening on time today.

“As you know, ladies and gentlemen, we are coming back to school today all across Jamaica. Many of our schools, over 300 of them suffered damage from Hurricane Beryl, JC included, but I am delighted to say with the work and effort of the Ministry of Education and Youth across Jamaica we have been able to get our schools back up and running for the first day of school, today Monday,” she said.

Ahead of the new academic year, Williams had given school principals the authority to decide how students return.

During a post-Cabinet media briefing last Wednesday she said there were 107 badly damaged schools, which have been placed in the priority one category, which will not be ready for reopening this week.

She added that the 139 schools categorised as priority two, which are moderately damaged; and the 116 priority three with minor damage, could be repaired while school is in session.