Jamaica Prefects’ Association (JPA) President Nashá Patterson is calling for urgent, coordinated action to locate and re-engage students who have stopped attending school following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Patterson warned that absenteeism is deepening learning loss and contributing to growing demotivation among teachers. Reports coming out from Regions 4 (Hanover, Westmoreland and St James) and 5 (St Elizabeth and Manchester) have raised red flags for the student leadership body, with classrooms now operating at less than half their usual capacity. Read more