‘Closer to nature’: Holness rejects criticism over children learning outdoors amid ongoing school repairs

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has pushed back against criticisms that schoolchildren, especially in western Jamaica, have started the new academic year in less-than-ideal circumstances, with some students attending classes outside under trees.

There has been rising public outrage over conditions in parishes such as St Elizabeth and Westmoreland, where severe storm damage remains unaddressed, including at several schools, nearly a year after the historic Category Five Hurricane Melissa.

Speaking on Tuesday at Jamaica House at the launch of the Jamaica Reconstruction and Resilience Oversight Committee (JAMRROC), Holness acknowledged that repair work remains ongoing at some schools.