The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Education is looking to establish a cohort of construction and maintenance personnel to carry out repairs and construction independent of the Ministry of Works.

Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd made the announcement during a tour of several schools in southwest New Providence Monday.

According to the South Beach MP, the Ministry of Education is aggressively pursuing an objective that would allow the ministry to carry out most of the contracts distributed for school repairs and construction on an annual basis in-house, in an effort to streamline repair schedules and cost.

Mr Lloyd said the move, if approved, would bring an end to the delays often experienced between repairs being identified, contracted, sent to tender and finally approved.

He stated: “We believe that there needs to be a cohort of individuals, professional, whether construction workers, architects, quantity surveyors, that are attached to the Ministry of Education.

“We expect that to be finalised by this week so that (Deputy Permanent Secretary Coleman) Andrews and his team can be well on the way with the scope of works that has been identified throughout the system and that work can be done and be done immediately.

“You know that I have come in to a ministry that is already a couple of weeks, if not months behind in that exercise.

“So you know, we are already playing a catch up game and that is something we can’t afford.

“This summer is the hurricane season, the rainy season, and so all the challenges that already come in the summer time, we don’t need because there is a delay in getting things done.”

Last year, an unexplained halt in the Ministry of Works’ annual “scope of repairs report” led to a setback in school repairs, with some initiatives left lingering until days prior to the start of the new school year.

According to the then Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, operational procedures mandate that the Ministry of Education receive the “scope of repairs report” by May, allowing officials to award contracts by the middle of June.

In 2016 officials were not made aware of the scope of repairs until July.

Mr Lloyd spoke to reporters on a tour that included stops at Gambier Primary, Adelaide Primary, Sir Gerald Cash Primary, Anatol Rodgers High School and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).

During the tour, he was inundated with reports of a lack of equipment, a lack of technology and concerns over a possible teacher shortage.

Responding to concerns raised at each stop, Mr Lloyd said the issues had to be addressed “immediately,” specifically the concerns raised in those primary level institutions.

“Well, of course, you are identifying resources. And the most essential resource is, as it is in Gerald Cash, human resource; and that has to be addressed immediately because this is where the foundation is laid and this is where that foundation has to be established firmly and concretely,” he stated.

“So we are going to provide the assistance.

“We are seeking to provide the assistance (Principal Cozetta) Johnson needs here at Gerald Cash, the same kind of assistance we need to provide in the other schools that we attended this morning.

“Another very important element that needs to be addressed is the issue of technology because as you now know, in an age where we have so much technology, the students and teachers are exposed to technology in their own lives on a constant basis; and that the method of teaching now and transmission of knowledge is through technical means.

“Our government has to address that and address that urgently.”

Pressed on a time line for the matters to be addressed, Mr Lloyd said he didn’t want to commit the government to a set time. However, he maintained that the matters raised would be dealt with soon.

“Well, certainly as soon as possible. I don’t want to commit the government to, or myself, to a 100-day time line or a six-month time line. What we are now doing in the early stages of this administration is to evaluate what those needs are.

“As we understand what those issues are and as we evaluate what resources we have so that we can apply those resources to these urgent needs, we are going to do so, as the summer now is approaching. We, of course, are very concerned and are committed to making sure that schools be ready for September.”

He continued: “Our work is cut out for us and we are on our way and we are going to make sure that we get it done as quickly as humanly possible and as financially possible.”