Modular classrooms installed

A newly installed modular classroom at John Gray
High School

Wednesday,  February 2, 2005

The five schools, which were earmarked to receive modular classrooms in order to increase available teaching facilities, can now begin using their new temporary rooms.

At Savannah, East End, Bodden Town and George Town Primary Schools, these new units have already been installed.

Savannah has received four units, George Town Primary three, with East End and Bodden Town Primary Schools receiving one unit each.

John Gray High has received half of the 11 units allocated to the school.

“Installation of each unit is a four-day exercise,” explained Public Works Department, Project Manager, Tommy Ebanks.

“The units are transported to locations for installation on a chassis and then jacked and propped on site.”

He added that these classrooms are each composed of a U-shaped piece with three walls and another piece. Construction work to complete each unit involves the finishing of the roof, the laying of vinyl tiling on floors and the installation of twin air-conditioning units.

“Hurricane straps are also installed on the 24 foot by 36 foot structures, and the building strapped to the ground as well,” Mr Ebanks added.

“The process of construction and installation is a reversible one and three to four days would be required to dismantle the structure.”

“Even though these units are also called mobile units, they should not be considered as temporary structures or as inferior classroom units. These classrooms can accommodate between 30 to 35 students and can be equipped with necessary amenities – as can be seen with the two of the units at John Gray High that will be used for art and are equipped with water,” Mr Ebanks said.

For many years now, other countries around the world have had to consider the use of modular, mobile units for varying reasons related to accommodation of students. In Cayman, the destruction of property caused by Hurricane Ivan resulted in consideration being given to the implementation of shift and rotational systems for students to attend classes – making space in schools alternately available so that all students could attend classes.

However, additional accommodation strategies were necessary to meet the demand for classrooms. Thus, the use of modular, mobile units to increase student capacities at the different schools was considered.

In places like the United States where programmes for classroom size reduction are in place, and there is greater need for increased numbers of classrooms, legislation has mandated that at least 30 percent of all new classrooms should be modular - making them relocatable.

This brings home the fact that these units, wherever they are found around the world, are now considered part of the long-term life of educations institutions.

With enrolment figures in the United States registering increases of approximately 15 percent over the 10-year period 1987-1997 and a seven percent increase in those recorded for private institutions over the same period, it is anticipated that by 2007, some parts of the United States will register a 48 percent increase in enrolment.

Should similar rates of increase be considered around the world, then modular units will no longer be considered temporary units, but will, even more adequately, meet the immediate needs of accommodation, adjustments to change in numbers, location changes, energy efficiency and the overall space planning exercise in the field of education.

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