The ground floor of Ocean Academy High School in Caye Caulker Village was severely flooded this past week following heavy rains, rendering several classrooms unusable and disrupting student learning. The flooding affected the only high school on the island, raising concerns among teachers, students, and parents.
The issue stems from persistent rainfall that caused water to seep up through the ground floor of the school building. Despite previous mitigation efforts, including raising floors and constructing elevated walkways, the water continues to infiltrate from beneath, making it difficult to access classrooms and even campus Wi-Fi. The school operates on private property, further complicating government intervention or major reconstruction on the current site.
This situation follows years of delay in developing a new government high school on designated public land. In 2019, 5.17 acres were allocated for a new campus, including a high school and pre-primary school. However, setbacks, including funds redirected to COVID-19 response efforts, stalled the project. Although the government plans to begin construction in January 2026, the existing high school continues to deteriorate as the rainy season intensifies.
In a recent interview, local community leader Celina Jimenez acknowledged the frustrations. “The high school is government-aided and part private, so it’s not a fully government school. The building is in a bad state. It always floods when it rains,” Jimenez said. The community has expressed an urgent need for long-term solutions, with some residents beginning grassroots efforts to address the ongoing infrastructural challenges.
The planned construction of a new campus in early 2026 is expected to bring relief by relocating the school to government-owned land with improved facilities. Until then, students and staff at Ocean Academy High School must continue navigating the disruptive flooding that has become a recurring challenge on Caye Caulker.
