"Metal School" To Stay
Open, Education Minister
Announced
Students of the
Buenaventura Corrales
school will be back to
their regular classrooms
after the school break
following a decision by
the Ministerio de
Educación Pública (MEP)
decided to keep the "Edificio
Metálico" (metal
building) open.
The MEP had announced
the closing of the
school housed in the
historical building at
the start of the school
break last Friday,
saying that the all
metal building had
become unsafe for use.
Students, parents and
teachers protested the
closing on its last day.
However, a study by the
Colegio Federado de
Ingenieros y Arquitectos
(CFIA) has determined
that the building can
continue to be used, as
the 17 of the 20 posts
holding up the structure
can be repaired by
placing a "sleeve"
around the corroded,
worn and hole ridden
posts.
Leonardo Garnier, the
ministro de Educación,
assured that his
minister will now be
looking for a way to
finance the repair,
which are very costly,
according to the
minister, and to take
between two and three
weeks to carry out.
Students, parents and
teachers expressed their
pleasure in yesterday's
announcement.
Carlos Ulate, president
of the school's board
said that the school has
some ¢10 million colones
which they are willing
to contribute to the
repair work.
Minister Garnier added
that it would take some
time to get through the
process of awarding a
bid and that students
and teachers could use
the time to get
donations toward the
cause. |
