JTA presses for deadline to remove hurricane shelterees from schools
Published:Monday | March 2, 2026 | 8:29 AM
The Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) is threatening further action if government agencies fail to present an immediate, time-bound plan to remove hurricane-affected shelterees from school compounds.
The union said the continued housing of displaced persons at several schools has become “untenable” and is demanding urgent relocation by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“Should these demands not be met in a timely manner, the JTA reserves the right to pursue other options to ensure that the Ministry of Local Government and ODPEM take the concerns of educators, students and parents seriously,” said JTA President Mark Malabver in a statement on Sunday.
While acknowledging mitigation measures implemented by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, including enhanced safety protocols and monitoring, the association said such steps cannot replace the full restoration of schools to their primary function.
“The situation was understandable in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane,” Malabver said. “It cannot become a prolonged or indefinite arrangement.”
The JTA argued that continued shelter occupancy raises safety concerns, undermines public confidence and hampers learning recovery. It also expressed frustration over what it described as repeated missed deadlines for relocation.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28 last year, killing at least 45 persons and causing widespread destruction of homes and business, particularly in western parishes.
ODPEM data up to late February shows that 43 shelters were still in operation, housing 284 persons. It's not immediately clear how many of those institutions were schools, and the JTA statement did not specify how many schools are occupied.
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