More fans coming to Reg. 6 schools as RDC works towards AC installation for all

The Region Six administration is moving to increase the number of fans in schools that cannot currently accommodate air-conditioning units, as rising temperatures continue to create concerns over conditions in classrooms.

The issue was raised on Thursday during the statutory meeting of the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Regional Democratic Council (RDC), where Councillor Mahillai McCalmont expressed concern that some schools do not have adequate air-conditioning units or sufficient fans.

McCalmont also pointed to previous assurances that schools without air-conditioning would eventually be outfitted with units.

Region Six has 143 schools – 70 nursery, 57 primary and 16 secondary and about 30 per cent of them are completely air-conditioned. Schools without air-conditioning are equipped with fans.

Responding to the concerns, Regional Chairman Junior Bassant explained that some school buildings, in their present condition, cannot accommodate air-conditioning units and would first require work to their ceilings and ventilation systems.

He noted that undertaking those modifications would amount to capital works and would therefore have to be catered for under the Region’s capital programme.

As such, Bassant explained that installing air-conditioning at those schools is not something that can be done immediately, since the necessary infrastructural works would first have to be budgeted for.

In the meantime, he said, the Region, through its Education Department, has been providing fans to schools that cannot presently accommodate air-conditioning.

However, with temperatures rising and reaching around 39 degrees Celsius in some areas, Basant said the administration now sees a need to increase the number of fans available at those schools.

The additional fans are expected to provide some relief for students and teachers while the Region works towards the longer-term upgrading of school buildings to facilitate air-conditioning.

Basant indicated that the intention is eventually to have the remaining schools outfitted with air-conditioning, but those requiring structural modifications would have to be addressed through future capital works programmes.