BALAD, Iraq - The country of Iraq is in dire need of primary and secondary schools to build on its academic foundation for the future. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has served as the construction management partner on more than 1,100 school construction projects throughout Iraq to help build on that foundation.
The dilemma for engineers now is that a brick and mortar school takes over a year to construct and time is running out. USACE engineers from the Balad Resident Office are currently working a project to construct four modular schools in the Salahuddin province. The advantages of modular, prefabrication construction is that contractors can build an eight-room schoolhouse in just over 120 days and it's a lot less expensive to build. But prefabrication does not mean that the schools will be temporary, since manufacturers predict the life expectancy of the modular buildings is 20-years.
Maj. Paul Patterson, the Balad Resident Office officer-in-charge, says the modular school construction offers two distinct advantages. "The speed with which the project can be completed is an important consideration as the Corps draws down its efforts in Iraq," Patterson said. "It's also easier to ensure a consistent quality for the project across the province without dealing with the variability you get with the local labor pool when constructing concrete masonry unit type buildings."
Patterson says the schools will go a long way to improve the local school system in the province. "The schools will provide an appropriate structure for a proper learning environment with climate controls, modern restrooms and whiteboards," Patterson said. He adds that the schools will also be internet ready should the headmasters choose to add an internet capability later. "The bottom line is that students will be able to focus on learning in a comfortable environment," Patterson said.
The site plan calls for each school to have three buildings, with two building for classrooms and a separate latrine building. Each classroom building will have three rooms designated as classrooms and the fourth room will be for teachers. The buildings will be secured to 0.6 meters tall concrete footings to allow for ease of maintenance access and to avoid rainwater damage. Concrete walkways will be built between the buildings for inclement weather. The plans also call for a masonry block perimeter wall with a metal gate and an asphalt volleyball/basketball court. The schools are designed to accommodate a daily population of 180 students (30 students per classroom). Unique to the contract is the clause that requires the contractor to provide all the furniture for the school including desks and filing cabinets. This ensures that the schools are in start-up condition when they are completed.
The Iraqi owned Cosmopolitan Company is the general contractor for the schools project. Each school costs approximately $312,000 with the funding provided through the Iraqi Transition Assistance Fund.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq has completed thousands of reconstruction projects in partnership with the U.S. Government and the government of Iraq. Since 2004, USACE has completed 5,257 projects throughout Iraq valued at more than $9.1 billion, and has more than 250 projects ongoing. The overall reconstruction effort in Iraq currently provides jobs for more than 20,000 Iraqis.
| Date Taken: | 05.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2010 04:28 |
| Story ID: | 50145 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 288 |
| Downloads: | 234 |
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