A partially-built Msida school was ordered demolished on Friday, after the government entity in charge of school maintenance suggested that the quality of the new building was not up to standard.
The Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools, which is tasked with building new schools and maintaining existing school buildings, said in a statement that following an inspection of ongoing works at the Msida Primary School, “deficiencies” had been found in the work leading to an order for the newly built portion of the school to be demolished.
Additionally, the FTS said they had ended their contractual relationship with the architect who was in charge of the project and was seeking legal recourse.
“The FTS has not only assigned the work to a different firm of architects but is taking the necessary steps for the architect who was responsible for these deficiencies to make good and be held legally responsible,” the statement said.
The newly-built portion of the school was seen being demolished on Friday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli“FTS took the necessary steps with the aim of ensuring that the work is one of quality, according to the skills and standards, so that the country gets value for the money it is paying.”
It added that, based on suggestions that emerged during this exercise, it was decided that the school’s car park would be extended, doubling the available parking spaces.
The Msida school has been shuttered for five years, with the Education Ministry promising in 2017 that a new school with the capacity to cater to 300 children would be delivered in two years.
In 2019, a rough sleeper who was living in the empty school was arrested after he was found in possession of a large quantity of drugs.
The Planning Authority has recently approved two planning applications for works on the school, one, filed in 2018, to demolish and excavate the site as well as reintegrate part of the existing facade and another, filed in 2019, for the construction of the school complex.
This includes buildings to accommodate 500 students, a car park, sports facilities, a multipurpose hall, a childcare centre for 40 children, an administration block and a scouts building, as well as a roof garden and landscaping.