In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic passage through Westmoreland, Jamaica, a new humanitarian crisis is unfolding as displaced students face exclusion from education due to transportation barriers. With school uniforms and identification documents destroyed by the Category 5 storm’s 185 mph winds and subsequent flooding, students are being charged adult fares by taxi operators who cannot verify their student status.
The financial impact is severe: where students normally pay $100 for transportation, adult fares range from $150 to $250. For families already grappling with complete home destruction, job losses, and depleted savings, this additional expense has become insurmountable. The situation is particularly dire for exam-year students at Godfrey Stewart High School and Manning’s School who risk missing critical Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) assessments.
Kereen Richards, a homeless student from the devastated Water Works community, exemplifies the crisis: ‘I just come to school three times from school open back. I have CXC to do and honestly I can’t do any better.’
Transport providers acknowledge the complexity of the situation. Troy Reid, a taxi operator on the Grange Hill to Savanna-la-Mar route, explained that charging adult fares for out-of-uniform students is established policy, not price gouging: ‘However, given the circumstances, most of us don’t charge them the full adult fare.’
The identification challenge is compounded by altered school schedules at Manning’s School, where rotational attendance makes consistent recognition difficult. Elvis Myers, another operator, noted: ‘Out of uniform, they’re totally different. Dem look way bigger and older.’
Parents are appealing for government intervention, suggesting emergency bus passes or uniform replacement programs. Iona Whitfield, a parent struggling to rebuild her home, emphasized: ‘I hope the Government can implement something so that students can travel daily without concern about adult fare.’
With the Minister of Transport unavailable for comment, desperate families are hoping for temporary solutions before the academic year concludes, as educational futures hang in the balance amid the ongoing recovery efforts.