Hurricane Melissa disrupts schooling for nearly 477,000 children across the Caribbean

PANAMA CITY, 17 November 2025 - Three weeks after Hurricane Melissa hit the Caribbean, nearly 477,000 children are experiencing significant disruptions to their schooling due to damaged or temporarily closed schools across Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa caused massive rainfall and flooding, resulting in the disruption of basic services in vulnerable coastal areas. With many schools damaged or closed, children have been forced to miss classes or study in temporary spaces that may not be equipped for proper learning. According to UNICEF's most recent assessment, 900,000 children are in humanitarian need, including those experiencing learning loss.

"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," said UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes. "UNICEF is standing by the Governments in the region and recognizes their efforts to restore education as quickly as possible and fulfill this critical need for children."

In response, UNICEF is working with governments and partners to deliver life-saving supplies, rehabilitating damaged schools, and contributing to ensuring children can safely return to learning as soon as possible.

In Cuba, UNICEF has prepositioned supplies to reach 21,000 students, including school kits, recreation kits, early childhood development kits, waterproofing membranes, and rifling materials. Working closely with the Ministry of Education and local authorities, UNICEF is supporting efforts to ensure safe, inclusive, and resilient learning environments by rehabilitating damaged schools, improving hygiene and sanitation, and strengthening protective spaces for children. Additionally, 30 temporary school tents and 500 tarpaulins will be mobilized to the eastern provinces most affected. These additional supplies will benefit another 39,200 children and adolescents.

In Haiti, UNICEF supported the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training in assessing and evaluating the needs of affected schools across the Greater South departments. UNICEF has already provided 2,800 school kits in South and Nippes Departments, and 2 recreational kits will be distributed in Petit Goave to support psychosocial activities for 70 children whose schooling was disrupted by Hurricane Melissa. Additional actions are planned for the coming weeks.

In Jamaica, UNICEF has provided teaching and learning materials along with up to 100 temporary learning spaces to support around 10,000 children in the most affected areas. Additionally, 500 teachers will be trained, building on the 1,000 teachers who have already been trained in the Return to Happiness methodology, equipping them to support their own recovery and providing psychosocial assistance to approximately 18,000 students.

UNICEF continues to collaborate with governments and partners to prioritize children's return to classes in the aftermath of the hurricane by ensuring the safe and rapid reopening of schools as a foundation of community stability, and calls for the donor community to protect education by mobilizing funding to address the most urgent children's needs.

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