KINGSTON, Jamaica— The National Education Trust (NET) is reporting that repairs have been completed at 87 schools which were severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.

Repairs are at an advanced stage, ranging between 70 and 97 per cent, at 17 schools, while work is progressing at seven.

An assessment of all institutions determined that 364 schools were impacted at a preliminary cost of more than $4 billion.

Of that number, 111 schools were deemed severely damaged and were placed in Priority One, 138 were placed in Priority Two, and another 115 in Priority Three.

Cabinet approved $2.5 billion for the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to conduct emergency repairs.

NET provided JIS News with status updates for seven schools where work is still in progress.

Repairs at Irons Mountain Primary School in St Ann to replace the sheathing of the canteen, and grades five and six classrooms commenced on September 3, and are 28 per cent complete. NET indicated that rainfall has slowed progress.

At Mount Hannah Primary School in Hanover, repairs are at 15 per cent completion. NET said the contractor was unable to provide an update due to illness.

The Hanover-based school requires roof replacement on a bathroom building and a main classroom building, as well as gutter realignment.

A second contract was awarded at Merlene Ottey High, also in Hanover, due to the extensive nature of the work required. Materials have been delivered to the site and repairs are at 16 per cent completion.

Repairs at Bull Savannah Primary and Infant School in St Elizabeth are just over 50 per cent complete.

Contractors are carrying out roof and ceiling repairs on classroom and administrative blocks at a cost of $97.9 million.

In Clarendon, the weather condition over the past several weeks has negatively affected the progress of work at Garvey Maceo High School, where repairs are 55 per cent complete.

Just over $84 million has been allocated to replace a structure with a permanent building comprising one classroom, a sickbay, isolation room and bathroom at Halls Delight Primary in St Andrew.

Works are at 50 per cent completion, with building A at five per cent and building B at 70 per cent.

In relation to building B, NET indicated that the contractor has not carried out work on site since September 2.

“A Notice to Correct was issued to the contractor on November 18, giving seven days to address the lack of performance in undertaking its obligations. A Notice to Terminate the Contract was sent to the contractor on November 29, 2024. Termination is to take effect 14 days after the date of the notice,” NET said, adding that the contractor received payment for Certificate One of $20,359,500, which included retention and levy.

Regarding Happy Grove High School in Portland, NET advised that repairs are 60 per cent complete.

“The bills of quantities for roof repair works to the Harvey Hall and administrative block have been prepared for submission to procurement. Based on the performance of the present contractor, it is recommended that the remaining works be carried out by another contractor,” NET indicated.

The entity emphasised that the ministry focused on carrying out repairs to the Priority One institutions, given the effect it would have on the reopening of schools for the 2024/25 academic year.

This was done by selecting contractors registered with the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to carry out repairs and reconstruction using the single-source procurement methodology under emergency conditions, in keeping with the Public Procurement Act.

“Additionally, all regions were instructed by the permanent secretary to re-allocate from the $30 million for critical repairs to assist 50 schools, which were affected, in Priority Two and Three, with the cleaning up exercise and other critical emergencies for $65,676,326,” NET advised.

It will cost the Government an estimated $1.2 billion and $301 million to repair the schools in Priority Two and Three, respectively.

NET is a registered charitable organisation and an agency of the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, tasked with mobilising financial resources for the education sector by collaborating with the Jamaican diaspora and other local and international stakeholders to bring transformative impact to underserved areas in the education system.

-JIS