Cayman’s public schools will be repaired from Hurricane Ivan damage and ready by 1 September, 2005 Minister of Education Alden McLaughlin said Monday.
The only exception to the projection is the Islay Connolly Hall at John Gray High School, Mr. McLaughlin said.
‘All other school buildings will be up to capacity by 1 September.’
Mr. McLaughlin said Public Works’ Jim Scott was co-ordinating the hurricane recovery process for the schools.
Mr. Scott confirmed that work is on-going and on schedule for the 1 September projection.
‘The projects are all in good shape,’ he said. ‘I hope to have some done by the middle of July.’
Mr. Scott said he’s also optimistic the work on the Islay Connolly Hall can be completed very early in the next school year.
‘I have a meeting on that with Arch and Godfrey today,’ he said Tuesday.
Islay Connolly Hall was severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan and Mr. Scott said major repairs approaching a complete rebuild were needed there.
Demolition work on the Islay Connolly Hall has already begun, Mr. Scott said.
With regard to John Gray High School, Mr. Scott said the repairs done have made it safe.
Former minister of education Roy Bodden said in March that John Gray High School was unsafe and that much of it would have to be demolished.
Mr. Scott said everything that was unsafe was repaired or removed.
Mr. McLaughlin said in the long term the school might be rebuilt anyway.
In the meantime, no determination has been made as to whether to go ahead with the planned Frank Sound and West Bay high schools, which both broke ground before the 11 May general elections.
‘There are no approved plans for any school,’ Mr. McLaughlin said, noting that there was $5 million approved in the budget for the development of the two high schools.
That little amount of money would only allow for site development, Mr. McLaughlin said.
Former education minister Mr. Bodden estimated in March it would cost $90 million to build the Frank Sound and West Bay high schools and rebuild John Gray High School.
Mr. McLaughlin said there were a lot of decisions to make with regard to the physical plant of Cayman’s schools.
Hurricane Ivan compounded an already existing problem with the schools, he said.
The result of hundreds of Caymanian Status recipients coming into the public school system will strain the system even further, Mr. McLaughlin said.
‘Even if we build new schools, it will take 18 months or more until you have a finished school,’ he said.
Mr. Scott said another three temporary classroom modules were slated to be installed at John Gray High School.
High schools were not the only ones on Mr. McLaughlin’s agenda.
‘The development of George Town Primary School must be completed, too,’ he said.
In the future, Mr. McLaughlin said he’d like to see a dedicated educational development fund to be part of the annual budget.
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