La Nación / US$ 12 million in “gold stops” are equivalent to some 700 new classrooms

2022-07-17 08:07:54 By : Mr. Andy Zhang

By Santiago Rodríguez, santiago.rodriguez@nacionmedia.comThe Government of Canindeyú and several municipalities call for the construction of classrooms at a cost of between G. 117 million to G. 120 million each.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works is putting out to tender 130 bus stops for G. 84,000 million, which, divided, represents G. 646 million each, that is, five times the value of a classroom.The money they want to spend, by the way with another debt to taxpayers, can be used to erect 700 rooms with room for 30 students with which 21,000 children per shift can benefit.One of the areas in which this government was postponed is educational infrastructure, but far from vindicating itself with the construction of educational establishments, the priorities continue to be oriented towards millionaire expenses that are very unclear.Thus, while better building conditions in health and education are urgently needed, the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) continues with a highly questioned call for tenders, which is for the acquisition of 130 bus stops at a price of gold.The call is for G. 84,000 million, about US$ 12 million, with which, according to comparisons made by the Public Procurement Portal (DNCP), some 700 new classrooms can be built for the benefit of some 21,000 students per shift.A current call from the Government of Canindeyú foresees G. 1,882,100,000 for the construction of 16 classrooms, which means G. 117 million each.According to the details published on the DNCP website, the works include the pressed tile roof up to the electrical and rainwater installations up to a gallery, apart from essential utensils such as the acrylic boards distributed in each grade.Similarly, the Municipality of Raúl Peña published a call these days for G. 366 million for the construction of three classrooms of 7.20 mx 7.20 m, which is equivalent to G. 122,270,135 each.The specifications also include the costs of the roof, access ramp for wheelchairs, board-type doors with double wooden leaves of 1.10 mx 2.15 m, electrical and rainwater installations.The Municipality of Nueva Toledo shows that the budget can be further optimized and with G. 164 million it calls for the construction of a classroom of 5.80 x 6.80 and with inclusive sexed bathrooms.These mentioned examples show that it is much cheaper to build classrooms than these MOPC booths, in addition to the fact that the former constitute urgent needs for the country and especially for our children.The G. 84,000 for the construction of 130 bus shelters represent a cost of G. 646,400,222 each, that is, the price is five times the budget of a school classroom that ranges between G. 110 million to G. 120 million, according to we saw in the calls mentioned.We must not forget that in order to inflate the costs, they undermined the construction project of these stops, despite the fact that most of the supplies are already available.These additions lead to a budget that discriminates priorities, when this punch of money could be used to build some 700 new classrooms.While the Government sponsors the MOPC, which seeks to get the business out of the way by pressing for new debt as there is no source of financing, thousands of children were left standing due to the lack of new classrooms after the return of virtual classes.While the world evolves and the portfolio of Obras deals with bus stops with a rain of technology without making a comprehensive project for a solution in public transport transparent, students suffer from the lack of school infrastructure and many continue to teach under the trees.