Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts continue, Munro College and Hampton School in St. Elizabeth are optimistic about welcoming their students back to full-time classes by September 16. This renewed hope comes with significant support from the Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home (JAHJAH) Foundation and its partners, who recently provided crucial relief supplies.
While many schools in Jamaica managed to start the 2024/2025 academic year as scheduled on September 2, Munro and Hampton faced considerable challenges due to extensive hurricane damage. The JAHJAH Foundation’s donations, which included zinc, plywood, and other essential materials, are expected to aid in the repair of affected structures at both schools.
Clarence Burrell, senior teacher and first-form year coordinator at Munro College, expressed his gratitude for the assistance. “We are very grateful to the JAHJAH Foundation and Dr. Dixon for their support; it will definitely go a long way. This will complement the aid we have received from the Ministry of Education, through the National Education Trust, in repairing areas like the dormitory and auditorium, as well as staff housing and other buildings,” Burrell said.
The damage at Munro College was extensive, with 31 out of 35 buildings affected. Key areas such as the auditorium, principal’s office, and several dormitories sustained significant damage, including roof loss and plumbing issues. Despite these challenges, the school plans to continue repairs while maintaining its educational activities.
Hampton School also experienced severe damage, including the loss of roofs on several classroom blocks, science laboratories, and dormitories. Principal Mahvell Charlton-Brown acknowledged the support from the JAHJAH Foundation, which will assist in repairing spaces not covered by the Ministry of Education’s support.
“Hampton suffered significant damage, with several classrooms and administrative spaces becoming unusable. Although one of our four damaged classroom blocks has been repaired, we are still awaiting the completion of the remaining three. We commenced the school year with a phased reopening and hope to have all 1,200 students back on campus by Monday, September 16, depending on the completion of repairs,” Charlton-Brown explained.
Both schools have made adjustments to their academic schedules to accommodate the ongoing repair work. Munro College will begin its phased orientation for first through fifth form students from September 8, with full classes resuming on September 16.
Burrell expressed confidence in the timely completion of repairs, emphasizing the importance of having students return to a physical learning environment. “Our boys are better engaged when they are in the physical space, so we trust that the engineers contracted by the ministry will ensure that we are back to normal by September 16 at the latest,” he said.
As Munro and Hampton work towards restoring their facilities, the support from JAHJAH Foundation and other partners plays a crucial role in their recovery, helping both institutions move closer to resuming full operations.
