KINGSTON, Jamaica— People’s National Party (PNP) senator, Damion Crawford, says he believes the Government should have done more to ensure that the 2022/2023 academic year would have a smooth start.

Crawford made the comments during a PNP press conference at the Party’s headquarters, on Wednesday, following news that schools across the island are short on both staff and equipment to properly conduct their duties.

“If there’s ever an example of the incompetence of the Jamaica Labour Party Government in the execution of their mandate, the current unpreparedness for the reopening of the public school system is one such,” Crawford said during his presentation.

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association, on August 5, had warned the country to brace for an exodus of teachers this year as already over 400 have left the island to take up lucrative job opportunities in the United States, with just three weeks to go before the start of the new school year.

READ: Exodus-400 teachers resign to take up jobs in US; JTA boss says he will not tell them ‘don’t leave’