07/09/2026
is Jamaica’s education landscape has changed Monday morning as two established high schools officially become one. Hydel High School and Cumberland High School have now come together under a new name: Hydel Cumberland High School.
The new institution was formally unveiled this morning on the grounds of the former Cumberland High School in Portmore, St Catherine, as Jamaica officially opened the 2026/27 academic year.
Education Minister Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, senior officials from the Ministry of Education and representatives of both Hydel and Cumberland were on hand for the historic moment, as the new school’s name and identity were displayed publicly for the first time.
This is no longer simply a merger being discussed.
As of Monday, Hydel Cumberland High School is the name under which the combined institution begins its new chapter.
The development brings together the students, teachers, staff and traditions of two schools with very different but significant histories, creating a new institution on the Cumberland campus in Portmore.
And perhaps the biggest question surrounding the merger has now been answered: the Hydel name has survived.
The decision to retain Hydel in the new school’s official name is particularly significant given the powerful identity the school has built over more than three decades.
Hydel is widely recognised as one of Jamaica’s major sporting institutions, particularly for its dominance in track and field, where it captured the ISSA/GraceKennedy Girls’ Athletics Championships titles in 2023 and 2025. The school has also made its mark in football, including a 2018 Walker Cup triumph and notable performances in the Manning Cup.
That sporting legacy now moves to Portmore.
For Cumberland, meanwhile, the merger represents a major transformation for a school whose facilities had been operating below capacity. The Government previously explained that the decision was influenced by the condition and location of Hydel’s former Ferry campus, alongside the available capacity at Cumberland.