Nearly 477,000 Caribbean Children Face School Disruptions After Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa brought torrential rains, severe flooding, and destructive winds that battered coastal communities, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted essential services.

Three weeks after Hurricane Melissa swept through the Caribbean, the scale of its impact on children's education is becoming increasingly clear. According to the latest UNICEF assessment, nearly 477,000 children in Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica are experiencing serious interruptions to their schooling due to widespread damage to classrooms, flooded school grounds, and temporary school closures.

In total, an estimated 900,000 children across the affected countries are now in humanitarian need, many of whom are facing learning loss on top of the psychological stress caused by the disaster.

Massive Flooding Leaves Schools Damaged and Communities Struggling

Hurricane Melissa brought torrential rains, severe flooding, and destructive winds that battered coastal communities, damaged infrastructure, and disrupted essential services. Schools—central pillars of community stability—were among the hardest-hit facilities, with many buildings left unsafe for use or repurposed as emergency shelters.

Children now face crowded temporary learning spaces, limited learning materials, and, for thousands, no access to school at all. The destruction threatens not only academic development but also the vital protective role that schools play in children’s daily lives.

UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, emphasized the broad consequences:

“Beyond places of learning, schools provide protection and stability for children. When education is disrupted, the impact on children’s learning, well-being, and future opportunities can be profound, perpetuating cycles of disadvantage.”

Benes reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to helping governments restore and reopen schools as quickly as possible.

UNICEF Scaling Up Education and Recovery Support

UNICEF is working closely with regional governments, humanitarian partners, ministries of education, and community organizations to ensure that children can safely resume learning. Support includes distributing emergency education supplies, rehabilitating damaged school buildings, strengthening psychosocial services, and creating temporary learning environments.

Cuba: Tens of Thousands Reached With Emergency Supplies

UNICEF has pre-positioned enough supplies to support 21,000 students, including:

• School kits

• Recreation and early childhood development kits

• Waterproofing membranes

• Roofing materials

Working with the Ministry of Education, UNICEF is improving hygiene facilities, repairing damaged buildings, and enhancing safe learning environments. To address immediate gaps, UNICEF will deploy:

• 30 temporary school tents

• 500 tarpaulins

These additional resources are expected to benefit another 39,200 children and adolescents across the hardest-hit eastern provinces.

Haiti: Assessments and Psychosocial Support Underway

In Haiti, where schools across the Greater South departments sustained extensive damage, UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training to assess structural and supply needs.

Immediate assistance includes:

• 2,800 school kits for children in South and Nippes

• Recreational kits in Petit Goâve to support psychosocial activities for 70 affected children

More interventions—including repairs and additional supplies—are planned in the coming weeks, with a focus on restoring learning continuity in areas already coping with longstanding instability and insecurity.

Jamaica: Temporary Learning Spaces and Teacher Training

In Jamaica, UNICEF has delivered teaching and learning materials and established up to 100 temporary learning spaces, helping around 10,000 children return to education in the most heavily impacted communities.

Additionally, 500 teachers will receive psychosocial support training, following the 1,000 educators already trained in the Return to Happiness methodology—a programme aimed at strengthening emotional resilience and supporting student recovery. These efforts are projected to reach roughly 18,000 students.

A Call for Urgent Support

UNICEF stresses that returning children to class is essential not only for learning but for restoring normalcy, security, and routine. Schools serve as protective environments that help children process trauma, access meals, receive health services, and regain a sense of stability.

To accelerate the reopening of damaged schools, UNICEF is urging donors to prioritize education funding in their humanitarian contributions. Without increased support, many schools will continue to struggle to reopen safely, risking prolonged learning disruptions.

Protecting Education as a Cornerstone of Recovery

As communities across the Caribbean confront the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, restoring education is emerging as a core pillar of recovery. UNICEF will continue working with government partners to rehabilitate schools, supply materials, support teachers, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to return to a safe, inclusive, and resilient learning environment.