NET says schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa are being built to higher standard

NET says schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa are being built to higher standard – IRIE FM

September 24, 2026

Written bySugar Ray Thomas

Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey says schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa are taking longer to be repaired, because it is building them to a higher standard.

Her comments come amid concerns from the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) about the pace of school repairs.

Mrs. Harris-Ghartey said the Education Ministry has so far spent $8.26 billion to repair schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

She said a total of 117 schools have been completed so far.

Mrs. Harris-Ghartey presented the figures during a Webinar hosted by the Higher Education Task Force for Disaster Resilience (HEDE) on Tuesday.

She said 682 schools were damaged by Hurricane Melissa.

A total of 308 are in the priority one category, where significant work is needed.

Mrs. Harris-Ghartey explained that net, which is the primary agency that develops infrastructure for schools is trying to remove zinc roofs from schools and provide slab roofs.

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She added that the rebuilding process is further complicated by many of the school structures being old, requiring entire school plants to be built in some cases.

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