IN a bid to minimise the learning loss for students in the parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa, Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Western Damion Crawford and several partners have launched what has been dubbed a Solidarity Student Exchange Programme.

With the hurricane damage to schools in St Catherine North Western negligible, Crawford told the
Jamaica Observer that the initiative will be aimed at students from the communities in the south-western end of the island displaced by the Category 5 storm.

This supports a host school initiative launched by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to assist students whose institutions were severely damaged by Melissa.

Announcing the initiative during a sitting of the Senate on November 21, Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon underscored that the students were not being transferred to other schools as the initiative is to “ensure learning does not come to a halt for the thousands of children in the severely damaged schools. This is a temporary arrangement where a student from a non-operational school continues learning in another institution for a defined period of time.”

Morris Dixon told the Upper House that the students, and their host schools, will be supported by strong regional coordination and clear accountability measures.

“As a ministry, we understand that different institutions have different cultures. One does not change school mid-term without some transition pains. As a result, students and their host schools will be supported by strong regional coordination, psychosocial services, and clear accountability measures,” she noted.

“I find it encouraging that many schools, both public and private, have already volunteered to host displaced students. Many principals have reached out to the ministry, indicating their interest. This is demonstrating the very best of our national spirit and our shared commitment to Jamaica’s children,” added Morris Dixon as she urged parents who want to benefit from this initiative to reach out to one of the ministry’s regional offices for assistance.

It is against that background that Crawford, the opposition spokesman on education, and his partners have launched the Solidarity Student Exchange Programme, which, he told the Observer, is an emergency humanitarian and education initiative designed for the displaced students.

According to Crawford, it was important for the children to have people standing up for them in this time of crisis.

“North West St Catherine may not have faced the worst damage, but we have the capacity and the duty to stand with the children whose lives were upended,” said Crawford in a clear endorsement of the education ministry’s host school concept.

He pointed out that the programme will offer consistent schooling, safe homes, counselling, mentorship, nutrition stability, and a protective structure.

“This programme reflects who we are — people who care, people who act, people who show up for each other,” added Crawford.

The recently elected MP said starting December 18, the programme will target 200 students over a six-month period, with numerous partners contributing in different ways.

Crawford pointed out that home stay management will be taken care of by the Linstead Ministers’ Fraternal while students will be placed at selected schools by Quality Education Circle (QEC), which is geared towards improving student performance and overall educational outcome.

He said pastors from the Linstead Ministers’ Fraternal have committed to recruiting and screening people who will host the displaced children and their families.

The ministers’ fraternal will also be responsible for providing pastoral oversight, family monitoring, and supporting the emotional and spiritual adjustment of the children who were displaced.

According to Crawford, principals of schools which were not damaged have confirmed their readiness to absorb students into classrooms across the constituency, assign mentors, ensure smooth integration, maintain learning continuity, as well as uphold child-protection standards.

He said Food for the Poor has committed to providing desks and chairs to prepare classrooms as well as provide care packages for incoming students.

CRAWFORD…we have the capacity and the duty to stand with the children whose lives were upended (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

DRB Grant Demonstration Basic School in Catherine Hall, St James is one of the many educational institutions ravaged by Hurricane Melissa in the south-western end of the island.