Sat | Dec 13, 2025

UNESCO to assess post‑disaster damage to education sector

Published:Saturday | December 13, 2025 | 12:07 AM
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Roofs on several classrooms, the auditorium and administrative buildings at Westwood High School in Stewart Town, Trelawny, were severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
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Roofs on several classrooms, the auditorium and administrative buildings at Westwood High School in Stewart Town, Trelawny, were severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
A classroom at Brompton Primary School in Brompton, St Elizabeth, left devastated during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
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A classroom at Brompton Primary School in Brompton, St Elizabeth, left devastated during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
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The UNESCO Office for the Caribbean will conduct a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) of the education sector, following the severe disruption caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The assessment, using established international methodology, is intended to guide a nationally owned recovery plan grounded in evidence. It will examine the hurricane’s impact on schools, teachers and learners, and will shape a strategy that strengthens infrastructure, safeguards educational continuity and embeds disaster preparedness.

UNESCO said the PDNA, which is being conducted at the request by Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information (MOESYI), will help Jamaica “build back better”, creating safer, more resilient schools capable of maintaining learning even amid future storms.

Addressing Immediate Needs

The organisation has committed to support the printing of learning kits–student workbooks–for grades seven, eight and nine , helping to sustain teaching and learning as the country recovers from Hurricane Melissa.

At the tertiary level, 100 student-teachers at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, many of them young women from the hardest-hit parishes, will receive targeted UNESCO grants to cover accommodation, transport and learning materials. The support is intended to prevent disruption to teacher training and to reinforce the central role of women in the education workforce.

Scientific research has also suffered, particularly for early-career women in STEM whose access to laboratories and academic resources has been curtailed. To this end, in partnership with The University of the West Indies, Mona, UNESCO has launched the Women in Science Emergency (WISE) initiative, offering rapid financial assistance to 20 graduate-level women scientists. The programme aims to keep research on track and protect gains in gender equality in science.

These interventions, according to UNESCO, reflect its commitment to education as a cornerstone of national recovery and long-term resilience.

“UNESCO stands firmly with Jamaica as it rebuilds its education system after this devastating storm, and we will continue to support the country in restoring safe and resilient learning for every child,” said Eric Falt, UNESCO’s regional director.

The task ahead is considerable, but with coordinated, evidence-based action, the country can emerge with an education system better able to withstand future shocks while delivering inclusive, high-quality learning for all, the agency said.