$18 Billion Set Aside to Rebuild Schools Damaged by Hurricane Melissa

Kingston, Jamaica, 18 June 2026

The Government has set aside $18 billion to rebuild and repair schools damaged by Hurricane Melissa, with new building standards meant to help them survive future storms, Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon has said.

The minister gave the update on 15 June at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, during a session on building a resilient education system with help from Jamaicans overseas.

Costing the damage

Senator Morris Dixon said the figure came out of detailed assessments by her ministry of the damage to hundreds of schools across the island. The Finance Minister, she said, has now allocated the full amount.

According to the ministry, around 152,000 students and 8,000 teachers were affected by the hurricane, with many displaced or facing serious disruption to their schooling.

Building back stronger

The minister stressed that the aim is not simply to put back what was there. Schools rebuilt to the old standard, she warned, would be lost again in the next major hurricane, so tougher building requirements have been written into the programme.

Competing for builders and materials

She acknowledged that the work has been slowed by heavy demand for contractors, machinery and building supplies, with homes, businesses and public infrastructure all being repaired at the same time. Rebuilding hundreds of schools at once, she said, is far from easy. Even so, the Government is committed to finishing the job to a high standard.

What it means for families and homeowners

For parents, the allocation should mean more children returning to safer classrooms, though the scale of the programme suggests it will take time. Families choosing where to rent or buy often weigh access to a working school nearby, so progress in individual communities is worth following.

The minister’s point about competition for labour and materials also matters for households rebuilding their own homes. With public projects of this size drawing on the same pool of contractors and supplies, homeowners should plan for possible delays, get several quotes and insist on work that meets proper building standards.