Board wants explanation over project

 Ward Strip Demonstration Primary School’s board of management has called on authorities to explain the incomplete status of three sets of two double classrooms that have been sitting idle since 2011.

School treasurer Matthew Kulimbao told The National that the six classrooms were a project initiated by the National Capital District division of education and was not completed due to lack of funding.

He said the project was being carried out by the education division through a contract.

“The board of management could not interfere with the contract and it was never terminated,” he said. 

“It’s nothing to do with us that’s why it has remained that way pfor a long time now.

“If it was our project, we would have completed it well before. 

“We wanted to take over the project but we were told not to touch it because there was a binding contract with the contractors.”

Kulimbao, who could not disclose the name of the contractor, said the building was started in 2011 but  remained incomplete.

“We have waited this long, if it was to be completed we would have had eight classrooms in total,” he said.

“When we went about asking to get quotations for the classrooms, we found out that it would cost about K400,000 to complete.

“Now that MP Labi Amaiu will assist us, we will have additional classrooms but we will not touch that project.

“Now that the tuition fee free (TFF) subsidy is coming in three components, firstly it’s the commodity, they are buying the materials for us and secondly, they are putting up the structures and thirdly, the little bit of cash component.

“We are getting little bit of cash component but it’s not enough to help complete these buildings. 

“Unless parents  assist with raising some funds,  we will complete these classrooms for the benefit of the children.”

He said the TFF policy had put a great burden on schools in country as the enrolment number was increasing.

“Ward Strip Demonstration is pone of the biggest primary schools in the nation’s capital and as the biggest school, it requires more facilities to cater for the growing number of students,” Kulimbao said.

“As we require more facilities, the school board is questioning why these classrooms initiated by the NCD division of education were sitting idle for too long.

“The school board wants an answer regarding these two classroom projects from NCD education division and the contractors.”