KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) says the government empathy after the Ministry of Education announced that it was moving towards reopening schools following the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa last Tuesday.
School books left in the open after Hurricane Melissa destroyed a school in JamaicaThe category 5 storm tore into the country, particularly on the western section of Jamaica, leaving millions of dollars in damages and being responsible for at least 28 deaths.
Education Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon said that schools in parishes that fared better than others following Hurricane Melissa may reopen on Monday and that the Parliamentary Secretary in the ministry, Marlon Morgan, has been tasked with spearheading the emergency plan for students in St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James and Hanover.
“The call for a rapid resumption of normal school operation does not reflect the empathy and understanding required in a national crisis of the magnitude, “ said JTA president, Mark Malabver, who is advocating that more time be given to teachers and principals to recover from the ordeal of the hurricane.
“The JTA is urging the ministry to demonstrate crisis leadership grounded in compassion, flexibility and responsiveness to the emotional and physical realities facing our education committee.
“The immediate focus should not be on academic recovery, but rather emotion recovery providing, students, teachers and school leaders with the space, time and psychosocial support they need to being the healing process”.
Malabver, says the union is reminding the ministry that over the past few years educators have been called upon to weather numerous storms, “both literal and emotional”.
He said that from the tragic deaths of students to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and now the destruction cause by Hurricane Melissa “our teachers and principals have been tested beyond measure.
“Their resilience must not be mistaken for invincibility. The Association therefore calls on the Ministry of Education to exercise due care, empathy and responsible decision making as the nation recovers,”Malabver added.
