Schools spruced up for September

As a parent, grandparent, educator and former Education Minister, I am always mindful of the tremendous excitement that our young people feel upon their return to school following the summer vacation. 

There can be no doubt that their positive feelings are enhanced considerably when they return to schools that are pristine clean, school environments that have been spruced up as a result of custodians’ and teachers’ efforts or that have been painted as part of my Ministry’s school maintenance programme.

I am delighted to announce today that painting jobs, both exterior and interior, have been completed at the following schools during the summer break:

• Lagoon Park Preschool
• Southampton Preschool
• Port Royal Primary School
• Paget Primary School
• Northlands Primary, site of today’s press conference
• Somerset Primary School
• Clearwater Middle School

There has also been the waxing and refinishing of floors at the following schools:

• Port Royal Primary School
• Paget Primary School
• Somerset Primary

The Buildings Section within the Department of Lands Buildings and Surveys, Ministry of Government Estates and Information Services, carries out schools maintenance programmes in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Each school is placed on a four year-cycle.  That is, every fourth year each Government maintained school undergoes extensive painting, interior and exterior, including the roofs.  Floors are also refinished as mentioned. This process enables students and teachers to return to a freshly manicured building at the beginning of the school year.

The Buildings Section works closely with the Facilities Manager at the Ministry of Education to ensure that schools scheduled for painting each summer are not hosting summer programmes that will impede the work to be carried out.

Once the schools to be painted have been identified, the work is put out to tender in accordance with Government’s procurement guidelines.  I am pleased to note that this year, in order to increase the number of small contractors who might participate in the schools’ painting and general maintenance programme, we tendered the interior and exterior painting work separately.  This approach was also consistent with the Government’s commitment to stimulate the economy by providing for Bermudians, small contractors in particular, as many employment opportunities as possible.

Principals have reported that the contractors have done outstanding work in the schools.  At this juncture, I wish to acknowledge the presence of Mr. Damanay Robinson of Take Six Maintenance which painted the exterior of Northlands Primary School, Mr. Scott Simpson of Huntley Construction which was responsible for the interior painting of the school and Mr. Jason Stowe of Stowe Floor Refinishing who is responsible for refinishing the floors here at Northlands. As you can see, their teams have excelled in all respects!

I know that my colleague, the Hon. Dame Jennifer Smith, Minister of Education, joins me in thanking Mr. Robinson, Mr. Simpson and all of the other contractors who worked in our schools this past summer for a job exceedingly well done.  They have done us all proud.  Above all, they have made such an important contribution to our young people’s learning environment.

May I take this opportunity to wish all of Bermuda’s school children Godspeed and best wishes for success as the new school year unfolds.