The territory’s recovery from last fall’s devastating hurricanes continues to progress with Governor Kenneth Mapp’s approval of the contract for the engineering, construction and installation of 240 temporary classrooms, according to a Government House release. The agreement also provides for 19 large Sprung structures that can serve as cafeterias and gymnasiums.
Department of Education (D.O.E.) Commissioner Sharon Ann McCollum said her team was extremely pleased to have a contract in place as many of the territory’s campuses suffered severe damage from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Eleven schools have remained completely closed since the storms, according to Government House.
“This gives us assurances that we will have all the modular classrooms and Sprung shelters ready for the opening of the school year and our children will return to a normal, full school day,” Ms. McCollum said.
D.O.E. anticipates that the modular classrooms will begin arriving in late June.
“They will begin shipping them five at a time as they come off the assembly line,” she said. “We plan to move them to the school sites at night for the least disruption of traffic.”
A contract to provide site preparation, layout design, manufacturing, installation and all other necessary measures to deliver turnkey structures to the Department of Education, was awarded to AECOM and signed on Tuesday, Government House said. The cost is not to exceed $117.9 million and is being funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Program and proceeds from the Government of the Virgin Islands’ insurance policy.
Mr. Mapp was hopeful that the temporary classrooms will allow the territory’s schools to return to a state of normalcy.
“The Department of Education will be working hard throughout the summer to get these new classrooms ready for our students,” he said. “The contract calls for substantial completion of this project by August 28.”
Tags: modular units, usvi
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