UN: Nearly 500k Children Out of School Due To Hurricane Melissa

Photo Credit:  REUTERS/Raquel Cunha

CARIBBEAN – Nearly 477,000 children in Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica are still facing major disruptions to their schooling, three weeks after Hurricane Melissa slammed the Caribbean.

That update coming from UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, who says many schools remain damaged or closed, forcing students into temporary spaces not built for learning.

UNICEF is now working with local governments to deliver supplies and repair schools in Cuba.

Kits have been pre-positioned for 21,000 students.

Haiti has received 2,800 of those school kits.

In Jamaica, up to 100 temporary learning spaces are supporting 10,000 children.

The UN estimates Hurricane Melissa impacted more than 5 million people across the region.