UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 477,000 children in Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica are experiencing significant disruptions to their schooling three weeks after Hurricane Melissa hit the Caribbean, a UN spokesperson said Monday.
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, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, at a daily briefing.
In response, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is working with local governments and partners to deliver supplies and trying to rehabilitate damaged schools, he said.
In Cuba, UNICEF has pre-positioned supplies to reach 21,000 students, including school kits, while in Haiti, it has provided 2,800 school kits in Sud and Nippes departments, and additional actions are planned in the coming weeks, he said.
In Jamaica, the agency has provided teaching and learning materials along with up to 100 temporary learning spaces to support 10,000 children, said the spokesperson.
Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall in the Caribbean late last month, affected more than 5 million people across Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and essential services, according to UN estimates.
