Gov’t looking to reduce school-building costs

KINGSTON — Education Minister, Hon. Andrew Holness, says that the Government will be looking at the application of new technology in the methods employed in the building of schools, as part of efforts to reduce costs.

“We have to see what science and technology have to offer in making construction of schools more affordable,” he said.

He was speaking at a contract signing ceremony on Thursday at the Tivoli Gardens High School in Kingston for upgrading works at the institution.

The Minister said that though desirous of saving money, the Government “will not compromise on the infrastructure standards of our schools”.

He pointed out that schools built in Jamaica are very strong structures that can exist for up to 40 years with little or no infrastructural upgrade, which is one of the reasons why construction tends to be expensive.

The Minister said that Tivoli High was deserving of the attention, noting that the Ministry not only intends to focus on the infrastructure development, “but we want to support the school in its outreach to the community as well”.

School board chairman and Custos of Kingston, Hon. Steadman Fuller, stated that the intervention is “most welcomed”, noting that the last time upgrading work was carried out on the school was in 1983, when the administrative block was constructed.

The upgrading works, scheduled to begin this month, fall under the Ministry of Education’s Rehabilitation of Schools Programme.

The $45.4 million contract for the project, which has been awarded to Alfrasure Structures and Roofing Limited, will entail removal and replacement of sanitary fixtures; waterproofing of roofs; electrical repairs and upgrading; replacement of windows and doors; and construction of boundary walls.

By ALECIA SMITH, JIS Reporter