New buildings to replace wooden classrooms at Budaiya schools

Manama : Education Ministry yesterday pledged to construct a new building at two public schools in the Northern Governorate by next year, as parents’ complaints about teaching the students in wooden cabins in the school have increased lately.

This was confirmed by Education Minister Dr. Majid Al Nuaimi as he personally replied during the weekly meeting of the Council of Representatives yesterday to the queries of MP Hamad Al Dossary on the ministry’s 2018-2019 plan for educational institutions in the third constituency in the governorate.

Dr. Al Nuaimi assured Al Dossary that the ministry has set a timeframe to construct the new building in HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Elementary and Intermediate Boys’ School in Budaiya, consisting of 15 classrooms that would accommodate around 500 students

The minister explained during the session that the school currently accommodates around 890 students and also confirmed a new building will be soon constructed at Budaiya Elementary and Intermediate Girls’ School.

Al Dossary, who represents the third constituency in the Northern Governorate, including Budaiya, Jasrah and Hamala towns, had raised the matter of wooden cabins in both schools several times since he was elected as MP in 2014. He repeatedly underlined the hazards such cabins have on the health and wellbeing of students.

In October 2015, the Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa instructed to meet the requirements of public schools, especially those with wooden classrooms.

The Premier directed the competent authorities to visit the schools, including HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Elementary and Intermediate Boys’ School and Budaiya Elementary and Intermediate Girls’ School, both located in Budaiya.

Soon after that, senior officials representing Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry and Education Ministry visited the schools and inspected their conditions.

Dr. Al Nuaimi confirmed in his reply to Al Dossary yesterday that “the engineering drawings related to the construction of a new academic building in both schools have been completed and a work plan is prepared and will be implemented once the required budgets are approved”.

He added that the ministry will conduct maintenance works during the upcoming summer holidays at three schools in the constituency, serving more than 2, 000 students.