Tuesday, 1 August 2023 BG61 7XJ
Since a decree was recently published in the Official Gazette, regarding reinforcement of public school and hospital buildings against the effects of a possible earthquake, there are questions as to how this might be achieved and an awareness that the academic year begins in six weeks time, Kibris Postasi reports.
General Secretary of the Chamber of Civil Engineers (İMO) affiliated to the Union of Chambers of Cyprus Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (KTMMOB), Dr. Abdullah Ekinci, stated that they are working on preparations on projects to retrofit 345 buildings in 124 schools and that laboratory tests have been completed in 90 percent of reinforced concrete buildings.
Dr. Ekinci said that by the end of August, the retrofitting projects of 50 percent of the schools will be authorised by the state and put out to tender.
“After the projects are completed, we will provide technical support to the contracting party“, he said.
General Secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Teachers’ Union (KTÖS), Burak Maviş, stated that looking at the timings and strategy to retrofit the buildings, it does not seem possible to complete works in all schools by September.
Maviş noted that the Ministry of National Education will be responsible for all kinds of construction sites, tents and container classrooms, and said that the PTAs should already be organised to solve the problems so that the children and teachers do not suffer from the delay.
