KINGSTON, Jamaica — After weeks of public pressure over unsafe learning conditions caused by hurricane evacuees staying in school facilities, Jamaica’s top teachers’ body has praised the government’s commitment to relocate all remaining displaced people from Hurricane Melissa out of school shelters by May 8. The planned move comes after Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President Dr. Mark Malabver raised alarming concerns that students were being exposed to inappropriate sexual activity by shelter residents staying on school campuses.
In an official media statement released Monday, the JTA emphasized that the government’s announcement signals that key issues of student safety, child protection, and widespread disruption to academic activities have been taken seriously by national authorities. While the teachers’ group welcomed the timeline as a step in the right direction, it also pointed out that the proposed deadline is longer than ideal, given the ongoing negative effects the shelter arrangements have on school communities, teaching staff, and students across the island.
“The association therefore encourages all relevant authorities to expedite the process where possible,” the JTA statement read. The organization also extended recognition to two major education stakeholder groups — the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) and the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC) — for their role in amplifying the concerns and bringing the issue to the forefront of national public discourse. The JTA added that it will maintain close oversight of the relocation process and expects authorities to strictly adhere to the published May 8 deadline.
Beyond pushing for faster action, the JTA also offered public appreciation to teachers and school administrators in the parishes hit hardest by Hurricane Melissa, commending them for their resilience, professional conduct, and steady commitment to their students amid extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
“We look forward to the day when schools in these communities are fully restored — where students and teachers are able to interact in safe, supportive learning spaces, and where education recovery can truly take root within these institutions,” the statement said. “The announcement marks important progress; the priority now is timely delivery.”
The issue first sparked national outcry after the JTA labeled the situation of shelterees staying in schools “deeply troubling”, pushing the national government to set a formal target for resolving the disruptive situation.