ANNOTTO BAY, St Mary — Member of Parliament Christopher Brown has given a commitment that he will not allow partisan politics to colour his decisions when he is appointing members to school boards within his St Mary South Eastern constituency.

“I do not intend to appoint boards on the sole basis of politics. For those of you who have the fear and that concern that this member of parliament is coming to name a chair that lies with my political persuasion, you can [relax],” he assured.

Brown, who was elected on a People’s National Party ticket in the September 2025 General Election, was speaking during a recent handover of textbooks to schools in his constituency.

The issue of politically appointed board members has long been one of concern, with questions raised about their competence for the role.

On Monday the Jamaica Observer reported Jamaica Teachers’ Association President Mark Malabver blasting the practice, adding that part of the indiscipline challenge being experienced across multiple schools is tied to the fact that school boards comprise political hacks rather than “competent, qualified” individuals.

Malabver’s comments, made last Thursday during an education forum, came nearly a year after Education Transformation Oversight Committee (ETOC) Chairman Dr Adrian Stokes indicated that there was a “major effort” underway to reform the operations of public school boards. According to Dr Stokes, the application process would be revamped to lift the profile of individuals wishing to serve in this capacity.

Brown, in his recent address, said any appointments he makes will be done in consultation with school leaders and based solely on merit.

“Where I have the opportunity to appoint boards I intend to appoint leaders and chairpersons who will bring and add value. My role as a member of parliament is to be an activist for education in all aspects,” he said.

Brown added that he will encourage school boards to tap into the expertise in corporate Jamaica. His focus, he stressed, is on ensuring that school boards are composed of individuals committed to advancing the country’s education system and delivering results for students.

The MP also addressed ongoing challenges facing schools within the constituency since last October’s passage of Hurricane Melissa.

“Yes, there are challenges with roads, water and infrastructure. That is why I have met with stakeholders to see how best we can work together to resolve these issues,” he told the Observer.

Books valued at more than $500,000 for infant, primary, and secondary students were handed over during the ceremony. The books were donated by Bookzone in collaboration with Brown. He lauded Bookzone for its philanthropy and corporate social intervention.

“We are living in a period of information revolution which is characterised by AI [Artificial Intelligence] and massive digital learning, where most of our children and adults get information off social media and no longer from the traditional media. The fundamental part that underpins our children is literacy,” he said.

St Mary Technical High School Vice-Principal Orville Jones welcomed the initiative and the MP’s commitment to education.

“This is good timing. There is much more for schools in St Mary who are still recovering from Hurricane Melissa,” Jones said, adding that he would hold the MP accountable for the commitments he has made to schools.