Jamaica closes all public schools, beginning tomorrow for 14 days

#KINGSTON, March 12 (JIS):

           All public schools will be closed for 14 days, beginning Friday, March 13. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement at a press conference at Jamaica House on Thursday (March 12),

           He said that the decision was made after consultation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and will be reviewed after 10 days. Mr. Holness advised parents to use the next three days to make preparations for their children to continue their studies at home.

            “That would give us time, as well, to complete our preparations to ensure that those schools that would not have Internet connectivity that they could receive materials to distribute to students, so that they can continue their education at home,”  he noted.

            He informed that the HEART Trust/National Service and Training Agency (NSTA) will close its community-based training programmes with immediate effect.

            “All their… HOPE (Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment) training programmes, those will remain closed for the same 14 days, to be reviewed after 10 days,” he said.

            He noted that the school closure does not include universities, which have a different scheme of management.

            State Minister for Education, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, who also addressed the press conference, said that the closure notice will incorporate early-childhood institutions, teachers’ colleges and community colleges.

JIS NEWS by AINSWORTH MORRIS