In the village of Novonezhinka, Auliekol District, Kostanay Region, schoolchildren are forced to study in a partially renovated building.
According to Ratel.kz, only four classrooms in the building have been renovated, and lessons for middle school students are held in them.
Senior pupils receive their education in the local wrestling hall, while first-graders are taught in the kindergarten. It is reported that the Novonezhinka Secondary School has just over 300 students.
"How many meetings have we already had? They said it would all be ready in September, then they asked for a month, saying: 'We'll do it in a month.' Yesterday we came, and they added 15 days. What about in 45 days — will we come and they'll say again: 'Give us a month'? And how will our children learn?" says village resident Dinara Sadvakasova.
It has become known that the contractor on the site is GRENADA PCF LLP from Kostanay. It is noted that according to the documents, the school renovation project is a two-year plan, until 2025. Nevertheless, it is promised to be completed by 15 October. The major overhaul of the institution will cost the state 480 million tenge, of which 70 million tenge has already been spent.
The education department of the Auliekol District also commented on the situation.
"We have created all the conditions to ensure the safety of students. The kindergarten has video surveillance. Security guards are on duty. In the morning, the administration receives the students. During breaks, we have teachers on duty. And across the whole school, we are trying to ensure the safety of the students," said the head of the department, Dosbol Kusainov.
Meanwhile, parents are asking for their children to be transferred to distance learning due to the approaching cold weather. According to them, during the first frosts, the building under repair will not have the conditions to conduct lessons.
Local officials are trying to reassure parents, citing that lessons will be shortened and heat guns will be placed in the classrooms.
At the same time, the Education Department of the Kostanay Region provided an official comment on the matter.
"The work is running behind schedule; the contractor has been repeatedly sent claims about the need to speed up the pace of work. Currently, a claim has been sent to the supplier, a penalty is being accrued daily from 1 September, and materials are being prepared for court to declare the supplier an unfair participant in public procurement. <...> Furthermore, the contractor has been instructed to install fences to restrict access of unauthorised persons to the areas where repair work is being carried out. At the same time, no external repair work will be carried out while students are in the school," the statement reads.