KINGSTON, Jamaica—The 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure have been updated to include an $18 billion allocation for disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response in schools.

“I believe [that] at the start of the Standing Finance [Committee review] process, there would have been an amendment done, where $18 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Education for that line,” said Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dana Morris Dixon, during Friday’s meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives.

The allocation represents a significant increase over previous budget cycles. In 2024/25, a provisional expenditure of $2.5 billion was made, all of which was spent on Hurricane Beryl relief and recovery.

The revised Estimates for 2025/26 amounted to $2.8 billion, of which $500 million was allocated to Hurricane Beryl relief and recovery, while the remaining $2.3 billion supported Hurricane Melissa relief and recovery efforts.

The ministry reported that more than 600 educational institutions sustained damage during the passage of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen, in his Throne Speech during the 2026/27 Ceremonial Opening of Parliament at Gordon House on February 12, indicated that educational institutions damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa and classified as ‘Priority 1’ will be fully repaired within the calendar year.

-JIS