Ministry gets kudos for schools repair programme

School principals and parent-teacher representatives of primary and secondary schools are high in praise for the repair and refurbishment works carried out during the past two months by contractors on behalf of the Ministry of Education. The renovation works, at government and denominational schools, were project-managed by the following agencies on behalf of the Ministry, NIPDEC, MTS, PSAEL and by the Ministry of Education itself, MOE. PSAEL is engaged in school restoration and repair for the first time and according to its General Manager Francis Bertrand, this is in keeping with PSAEL’s strategic shift to focus on property management and maintenance services.  The status of the school repair and refurbishment programme as at August 27 is as follows:

Agency      SCHOOLS IN  100 %
      PROGrame  COMPLETED
 
NIPDEC          92                 62
MTS                27         22
PSAEL            26         25
MOE               20           5

The entire roof  and ceiling of some schools were replaced, some schools were repainted and many others had their electrical systems, plumbing and toilet facilities enhanced. Students will be returning to schools to find in many instances new classroom blocks, new desks and chairs, air-conditioned classrooms or workshops, improved water storage facilities, tiled areas and repaved driveways. Ongoing repairs — essentially external works that can take place without disrupting teaching and learning — such as the paving of drains, external painting and perimeter fencing will continue at 52 schools on afternoons and on weekends. Two schools — Coryal RC and San Fernando SDA primary schools — will not be completed in time for the reopening of school tomorrow. 

Arrangements have been made for the short-term accommodation of the students in nearby churches. Students and teachers at these two schools will return to the refurbished buildings in two weeks. A team from the Ministry  that included Permanent Secretaries Angella Jack, Diana Rutherford, Anthony Alphonse, Project Supervisor Educational Facilities Management, Marcia Riley and Communications Specialist Mervyn Crichlow made a whirlwind tour of schools in Palo Seco, Santa Flora, Siparia, Preysal and Cunupia on Friday. They met with school principals, teachers and parents, all of whom expressed pleasure at the quality and timeliness of the school restoration programme. Some teachers reported on the success of the Ministry’s Book Grant and Textbook Rental programmes, the computer enhancement initiatives, while others indicated readiness for the challenge of the new school year.