PHILIPSBURG--With the hurricane season just around the corner, Education Minister Wycliffe Smith said a phase whereby urgent repairs will start at public schools is drawing near.
The repairs would be paid for by insurance monies. In terms of school repairs in general, the National Recovery Programme Bureau (NRPB) with the World Bank will be assessing schools that still need further repairs and reconstruction as a result of the 2017 hurricanes, and the World Bank has allocated approximately US $7 million for the rebuilding and these repairs.
“We are expecting that the assessments and engineering and building plans will be completed during the summer vacation as well,” Smith said.
He said the Ministry has developed an Education Master Plan that includes the reconstruction or new construction of buildings and facilities that fall under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS). Included in the plan for reconstruction or construction are, for example, schools, sports facilities and Philipsburg Jubilee Library.
“We even included psycho-social programmes for teachers and students. This draft Education Master Plan was approved by the Council of Ministers and has been submitted to the National Recovery Bureau and the Steering Committee of the World Bank for their review.
“Given the fact that St. Maarten herself does not have the finances for reconstruction and new construction of educational, cultural and sports facilities, we [the Ministry of ECYS and the Council of Ministers – Ed.] are hoping that the World Bank would seriously consider assisting St. Maarten in this area,” Smith said.
