Holness dismisses ‘closer to nature’ criticism as ‘nonsense’

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has dismissed public outrage over his comments about students studying under trees as “nonsense”, fiercely defending his claim that they are simply “learning closer to nature”.

The prime minister has come under criticism following concerns that children at schools damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa returned to classes in less-than-ideal conditions.

Addressing media reports earlier this week of children learning under trees, Holness described the situation as learning “closer to nature”.

Speaking during a visit to the National Housing Trust’s Bernard Lodge Housing Development on Friday, the prime minister rejected criticism of his “closer to nature” comments, arguing that they had been taken out of context.

“There are literally hundreds of peer-reviewed studies which show the benefit of having students being able to learn in conditions that are conducive. Such conditions include being outdoors, something, by the way, which many of our children don't get as much as they should. They are locked in homes, behind screens, playing with their telephones,” Holness declared.

“Our children need to be in garden surroundings where they get to appreciate nature. This is not an argument to replace classrooms. Where did that come from? And people follow it as if it is the truth. They don't even listen.”

But Holness also conceded that many existing school structures did not adequately account for Jamaica’s climatic conditions.

“The state of classrooms in Jamaica suffered from a lack of proper engineering design and planning, maybe decades ago. In the same way that many of the houses that were constructed many decades ago suffered from the lack of engineering designs that accounted for weather and airflow and material use. In today's construction, we cannot continue to build hot boxes. That cannot continue,” he said.

“And so, my observations of the impact of the changing climate on our classrooms, it is not a matter to be treated as comic relief. It is a serious matter which has to be incorporated in the designs of the six new STEM schools which we intend to build. The Ministry of Education will not be allowed to build schools in the traditional way.”

Holness also pushed back against people who, he said, lack vision.

“Unfortunately, there are those in our society who don't share that dream, they don't understand that vision, and you hear them speak, and I cringe every time I hear them because if they are allowed, they will lead this country to its past and not to its future. I make no apologies for these harsh words,” he said.

- Karen Madden

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