Kugaaruk students still await installation of portable classrooms

Education Minister Paul Quassa said Sept. 13 that students and teachers in Kugaaruk will have to wait a little longer for six portable classrooms that will partially replace the community’s school, which was destroyed by a fire this past Feb. 28. (PHOTO BY BETH BROWN)

Six portable classrooms have arrived in Kugaaruk, but these can’t yet be set up, Education Minister Paul Quassa said in the Nunavut Legislature Sept. 13.

The foundations for the modular buildings, which will serve as part of an interim school, didn’t arrive at the same time as the portables.

“That has created a little bit of a delay,” Education minister Paul Quassa told members of the legislative assembly during a Sept. 13 sitting.

A fire destroyed the community’s Kugaardjuq School this past Feb. 28, leaving about 300 students with no classroom space.

The department was aiming for an Oct. 15 completion date for all construction on the portables, as well as the community’s old hamlet building, which is being converted into classroom space.

Now, it’s looking more like Nov. 1 that the portables will be available for students, “because the ships’ arrival has been delayed,” Quassa said.

And, while students will be back in school on Sept. 18 as planned, they’re going to have to work around some ongoing renovations to the community’s hamlet office, he said.

Students and staff in elementary and senior grades are also operating in shifts, on a split schedule, Quassa confirmed.

Younger children go to school in the morning and older students attend class in the afternoon and evening.

The portables are costing the department $6 million, including the cost of installation and building a link attaching the portables to the old hamlet complex.

Besides asking for this update from the minister on summer progress in Kugaaruk, Netsilik MLA Emiliano Qirngnuq wanted to know if a change in government would affect the construction schedule for a new school in Kugaaruk.

“I understand that the minister cannot speak for the next government, but can you assure me that his departments work on the school will not be delayed or put on hold as a consequence of the upcoming election,” he asked.

Quassa assured him that the expected opening date for the new school, in August of 2019, would not be affected by a change in government.

“When building large buildings we need to have approvals in house beforehand. That has been proceeding well. Elections do not stop things like that. This work will continue,” Quassa said.