Jamaican Government approves over $500 Million for school cleanup and rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica: Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr Kasan Troupe, revealed that the Cabinet has approved over $500 million to clean the damage and help rebuild schools in Jamaica. This decision was taken following the great destruction caused by the category 5 Hurricane Melissa, which hit the island last month on October 28.

Dr Troupe made this announcement while she was addressing the launch of National Parent Month on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at Tivoli Gardens High School in Kingston. 

“We have to clean up and we have to get the debris moved out of our schools. Over $500 million has been approved to do the clean-up work already and we will be disbursing the grants to the individual schools so they can mobilise on the ground to move out the debris and to set up temporary learning spaces,” she noted.

The Permanent Secretary reported that 653 schools have been reopened across Jamaica as of now. She further added that more than 40 technical workers are currently in the field assessing the damage and to determine which schools should be their top priorities for rebuilding. “Our Minister has set up a technical team and we are meeting twice per week,” she said.

Moreover, the Ministry has also asked external stakeholders and consultants, including the Jamaica Institute of Engineers and the Jamaica Institute of Quantity Surveyors, for their advice and experience on this matter. 

“They are sending a proposal to us, so we can get more technocrats in the field to get the rapid assessments done, so we can submit to the Cabinet the cost for the rebuilding,” Troupe mentioned. She also reported that the Ministry is working with counsellors, deans of discipline, and health and family life educators.

Moreover, the workers, guidance counselors, and helping professionals which are being trained to better react to the needs of people at the ground level. This training is being sponsored by UNICEF.

With the death toll in Jamaica rising to 45 and thousands left homeless and key infrastructure devastated, the importance of restoring people’s lives back to normal is getting more crucial. Rescuers have been struggling to reach some areas cut off by slides and floodwater as they prepare for more rain that is expected in the coming days.