JTA president flags school challenges as new academic year begins

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) President La Sonja Harrison has raised concerns about the conditions facing some students and educators as schools reopen for the 2026–2027 academic year.

In her back-to-school message Monday, Harrison acknowledged the efforts being made to prepare schools for reopening but warned that some students and teachers will still return to facilities affected by mould, inadequate furniture, unfinished repairs, poor lighting, tented classrooms, water shortages, and other challenges.

“That cannot be your standard, Jamaica,” she said.