Hon Alden McLaughlin Minister of Education

Cayman Brac’s schools are moving closer to reopening after closures due to the damage received by Hurricane Paloma.

The main focus has been on the clean-up of Cayman Brac High School, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Education Services said in a press release.

Workers from the Public Works Department and the Department of Environment Health have removed most of the debris on the site. Local contractors have been hired to secure the buildings, which are also being dried and cleaned.

With the help of teachers and the community, the press release said, the high school is on target to reopen within the next two weeks.

Once a date has been decided, an announcement on the reopening will be made.

Work has also commenced on the Brac’s primary schools.

The Ministry of Education’s facilities team, along with Chief Education Officer Shirley Wahler and Learning Community Leader for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Tammy Banks-DaCosta, have been working on Creek, Spot Bay and West End Primary Schools.

According to the press release, primary education services operating from at least one site should begin the week of 24 November.

Minister of Education Hon Alden McLaughlin said, “It is both pleasing and inspiring to see the way in which education has been prioritised in the wake of Hurricane Paloma. I would personally like to thank everybody who has worked so diligently and effectively to re-open schools far more quickly than was originally thought possible, and I look forward with great anticipation to the realisation of our collective efforts for the children of Cayman Brac.”