NET restores critical facilities at four more Melissa-ravaged schools

THE National Education Trust (NET) has reported that it has completed restoration works at four more schools which were damaged by Hurricane Melissa last year. In media releases on Friday, NET identified the latest schools to be repaired as Bamboo Primary and Marcus Garvey Technical High in St Ann; Pepper Primary in St Elizabeth; and Nazareth Primary and Infant in Manchester. NET has helped to restore essential facilities damaged by the Category 5 storm and improved the learning environment for students and staff. At Nazareth Primary and Infant School, Melissa caused significant damage to several sections of the institution, affecting its population of 126 students, including 31 students in the Infant Department. The damage included sections of roofing that were blown off, leaving classrooms exposed to rainfall and disrupting teaching and learning. The roof of the school’s museum was also blown off during the storm.

The repaired Nazareth Primary and Infant School after work done by NET

Through the intervention of NET, restoration works were undertaken to repair the damaged roofing across the school, including the museum, while addressing other vulnerable sections of the infrastructure to improve resilience against future weather events. Senior teacher in the Infant Department, Ava Frith, recalled the distress experienced by both students and staff following the hurricane. “It wasn’t good at all. I kept wondering how I was going to cope with another devastating hurricane. When we eventually reopened, we had to use only half of the classroom because of the damage. Whenever it looked like rain, I became worried because I knew the water would come in through the sections of the roof where the zinc sheets were missing. It really affected teaching and learning,” Frith said. She explained that the experience also had an emotional impact on the children, many of whom became fearful whenever the weather changed. “Every time there was a little rain, the children would ask, ‘Teacher, are we going to flood out again? Is this another hurricane?’ It affected all 31 students in the Infant Department, as well as members of staff,” she recalled.

The greenhouse at Marcus Garvey High School after Hurricane Melissa last October

The restoration works have helped to address these concerns, providing students and teachers with safer and more secure facilities while restoring the school’s museum, an important space within the institution. “I just want to thank the National Education Trust for the restoration works they carried out on both occasions, following Hurricane Beryl and, most recently, Hurricane Melissa. They went above and beyond with the roof. They didn’t just repair the damaged sections; they also identified other areas that could be compromised by strong winds or another hurricane and addressed those concerns. NET continues to work, not just for us here, but across the island. We have seen the work, and we are grateful,” added Frith. At Marcus Garvey Technical, Melissa caused extensive damage to the agricultural and industrial arts departments, disrupting teaching and learning for approximately 170 to 200 students. Acting Vice-Principal Chormine Brown Henry explained that approximately 80 to 100 students from the Agricultural Department were displaced following the hurricane, forcing the school to relocate them to its junior campus to ensure the continuation of teaching and learning. Through the intervention of NET, extensive restoration works were undertaken across the Agricultural Department, including the renovation of classrooms, offices and the greenhouse. The improvements have allowed students and teachers to return to their regular learning spaces and resume agricultural activities, including crop production.

The greenhouse at Marcus Garvey High restored by NET.

“We are grateful for all the support provided through the National Education Trust,” added Brown Henry. The school’s Industrial Arts Department also sustained severe damage during the hurricane, affecting approximately 90 to 100 students who were without suitable facilities for practical instruction for approximately seven months. Head of the Industrial Technology Department Kirk Smith explained that the loss of these facilities significantly affected the delivery of practical lessons, which are essential to students’ technical education and preparation for external examinations. “The Industrial Arts Department was severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa, and as a result, we did not have a suitable space for practical activities,” Smith said as he noted that through the restoration works of NET, the department’s laboratory and practical learning spaces have been rehabilitated.

HARRIS-GHARTEY... the restoration of essential school facilities remains an important part of supporting communities

Meanwhile, Bamboo Primary is now able to accommodate 438 students, with essential facilities restored to support the school’s daily operations. Principal of the school Tricia Scarlett-Cameron expressed gratitude for the support received, highlighting the importance of restoring the kitchen to full operation. “We are grateful to the National Education Trust for coming on board. After the hurricane, our facilities were so badly damaged that we had to suspend our lunch operations at the school. Our students were greatly impacted. Now that NET has restored our kitchen facility, we are able to provide lunch for our students again,” said Scarlett-Cameron. At Pepper Primary School, NET provided a new container to serve as the school’s tuck shop, replacing a structure that was destroyed during Melissa. NET also completed paving works and constructed a sheltered walkway to help protect students from the rain as they access and utilise the facility. Principal of Pepper Primary Winsome Dennis-Moxam reflected on the challenges the school faced following the hurricane and expressed appreciation for the timely intervention. “We had worked so hard to procure a container, and then the hurricane came and destroyed all the panels. We did not know what to do; it felt like starting all over again, like we were taking some steps forward and several steps back. We felt very defeated. “NET came on board and provided a brand-new container, which is now being used as our tuck shop. This area has added value to our school,” said Dennis-Moxam. According to executive director of NET Latoya Harris-Ghartey, the restoration of essential school facilities remains an important part of supporting communities as schools recover from the effects of the hurricane. “When a school is affected by a disaster, the impact extends beyond the physical damage to the building. It affects teaching and learning, school operations and the daily experiences of our students,” said Harris-Ghartey.