KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education is warning that some schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa may not be ready for face-to-face classes when the new academic year begins on September 7.

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, made the disclosure following a two-day tour of several schools across St Elizabeth that were severely affected by the hurricane.

“As the ministry fine-tunes preparations ahead of the start of the 2026 to 2027 school year, the political executive in the ministry has embarked on a series of visits to schools that were considerably impacted by the passage of hurricane Melissa. Primarily, schools that have been deemed priority one schools based on the severity of damage to school infrastructure consequent on the passage of hurricane Melissa,” he said.

Morgan said he visited several schools in St Elizabeth on Monday and Tuesday to assess their level of preparedness and to engage contractors on the pace of repairs.

On Monday, he visited Elderslie Primary and Infant School, Glen Stuart Primary and Infant School and Maggotty High School in north-west St Elizabeth.

On Tuesday, he visited Middle Quarters Primary and Infant School, Crawford Primary and Infant School, Brompton Primary and Infant School, Black River Primary and Infant School and Pondside Primary School in south-west St Elizabeth.

Morgan described the state of preparedness across the schools as a “mixed bag”, with varying levels of readiness ahead of the September reopening.

“A key part of our visit to the respective schools was to essentially impress upon the contractors and hold them to account in relation to expediting and accelerating the pace at which work was being undertaken to get the respective school plans in readiness for the September envisaged reopening of school,” he said.

Morgan said the ministry was prioritising the return of students to face-to-face learning, noting that schools provide safe spaces for children. However, he said contractors were facing significant challenges, particularly the shortage of skilled workers and building materials.

He said repairs to roofs have been affected by the limited availability of carpenters, while electrical installation and other construction work have also been impacted by shortages of skilled labour.

Morgan said the demand for construction materials has also increased significantly as the country continues to recover from the hurricane. He pointed to shortages of materials needed for roofing and window installations, among other repairs.

At Black River Primary and Infant School, he said one contractor reported that a supplier had put a shipment of materials for window installation on hold because of the high cost of bringing containers from overseas, partly due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Morgan said these challenges could prevent some schools from reopening fully for face-to-face classes on September 7.

He said schools that are unable to accommodate all students may have to use alternative arrangements, including makeshift classrooms, tents and rotational or shift systems.

“These are the avenues that our school leaders will have to explore and utilise in conjunction with their stakeholders, like parents and other key stakeholders in education.”

Morgan said the ministry was appealing for patience and understanding from parents, teachers and other stakeholders as it works to complete repairs.