Major infrastructural upgrade for Jamaican schools

Jamaica’s Minister of Education and Youth, Fayval Williams, says the ministry has allocated $210 million for critical repairs to schools across the island.

Speaking at the 58th annual conference of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association on Wednesday, Williams said each of the Ministry’s seven regions has received $30 million for infrastructure upgrades and 97 schools had been identified for critical repairs thus far.

According to the minister, tenders have been issued for 35 projects, estimates have been prepared for another 34, assessments will be conducted for an additional 13, and contracts have been awarded for work to begin on 15 schools.

To date, the assessed value of work totals approximately $196 million.

Williams stated that the goal of the Ministry in the long term is to transform the infrastructure of schools to 21^st-century readiness, adding that “creating proper workplaces for teachers and administrators is a priority.”

“We’re shoring up the team at the ministry to be able to better respond to the needs of the schools,” she said.

Furthermore, the minister stated that extensive upgrades to school administration buildings will be done as part of measures to improve working conditions for teachers and administrators.

She said the ministry’s goal is to have an administrative block that is properly configured, particularly in the larger schools, and outfitted for the benefit of their teachers and administrators.

She added that there is no doubt there needs to be a faster approach to developing appropriate working spaces for the teachers.