Civil Engineer with the National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit (NIPP), Fabian Felix, says the workshop was designed to help school administrators better understand their role as managers of public assets while promoting a culture of safety and preventative maintenance. Felix explained that schools are more than just educational institutions; they are collections of valuable public assets that require proper monitoring and maintenance.
“So, while a school is often referred to by a name, that school may have about five or six buildings that are individual assets of that school. So, according to our asset management policy, an asset should be properly managed and have a useful life of over a year.”
He noted that principals are often the first line of defense in identifying potential problems before they become costly repairs. The workshop also addressed a concern frequently raised by school administrators, the funding of maintenance and improvement projects.
“Having school principals on compound, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving them the basic knowledge to look out for defects that they can call on the relevant professionals to address, such as stress cracks, failure in foundations, leaks, electrical failures. We have a lot of issues with the building envelope, doors, windows, and of course, the prevailing issue of mold in our facilities.”
School Safety Officer Major Sean Wells says principals play a critical role in ensuring that school safety remains a priority.
“For us, it is important that they understand and that they participate in this. They will be taking the knowledge gained here, take it back to the schools, because actually we only have a fraction of the district schools’ safety teams represented here today. So, that knowledge that they have gained, they will take it back with them within the district schools safety teams and educate their peers and colleagues.”
The training forms part of the Government’s broader efforts to modernize infrastructure management through the implementation of the Public Asset Management Policy and the Public Finance Management Act Asset Management Regulations. Key areas of focus included evidence-based decision-making, digital asset management, infrastructure condition assessments, lifecycle planning, and disaster resilience. For many participants, the training provided practical knowledge that can immediately be applied within their schools. Principal of the Piaye Combined School, Eugenie Paul-Mooney, says the workshop has changed the way she views her responsibilities as a school leader.
“I think that this session is very valuable, and I don’t want it just for me or for the few participants here, but for all of our principals at all of our schools. Because the knowledge that you gain here helps you when you have to look at your school safety, you look at your plant, because you need to ensure that your students, your staff, everyone on board, everyone who attends your school, is safe as well. There was a lot to learn. I learned so much that at this present time, construction is going on at my school, and had I known these before the construction, there were a few things that I would need changed, because we are always looking for the safety of our patrons. Everybody at our school.”
The training was organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit, within the Department of Finance, with support from UNICEF.