Nazareth Municipality to Demolish and Rebuild Flooded Al-Qalaa School
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Nazareth Municipality will demolish and rebuild Al-Qalaa School after parts of it were damaged by heavy rains. Director General Nahida Mansour stated the school, over 40 years old, will be replaced with a new building, with students temporarily moved to an alternative site. The demolition order was issued years ago but delayed. The municipality aims to select a contractor within two months, with construction expected to take ten months. Mansour also voiced concerns about rising insecurity in Nazareth, linking it to negative impacts on tourism and trade.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Nazareth Municipality will demolish and rebuild Al-Qalaa School due to damage from heavy rains.
- The school building is over 40 years old and parts of it were affected by flooding.
- Students will be moved to a temporary alternative building during demolition and construction.
- The municipality hopes to select a contractor within one to two months for the project.
- Construction of the new school is estimated to take approximately ten months.
- The municipality's Director General expressed concern about rising insecurity impacting tourism and trade.
The Director General of the Nazareth Municipality, Nahida Mansour, stated that the damage to Al-Qalaa School caused by heavy rains was distressing, especially with children present. She noted that the municipality had prepared for winter, overseeing 26 municipal schools and 69 kindergartens, including those for special needs children. Mansour clarified that only parts of Al-Qalaa School were affected, not the entire structure, and mentioned that the school's location and geography contributed to the issue. She was unaware of prior warnings regarding the erosion problem that emerged during the recent rainfall.
Mansour announced that Al-Qalaa School, whose building is over 40 years old, will be completely demolished and rebuilt. She explained that the Ministry of Education had ordered the demolition years ago, but its execution was delayed. The municipality is now finalizing procedures for the project. To ensure continuous education, students will be temporarily relocated to an alternative building while demolition and construction take place. The municipality is working with its economic company on tender and planning procedures, hoping to select a contractor within one to two months. The new school construction is estimated to take about ten months. Mansour emphasized the importance of the alternative building being within the same neighborhood or nearby to maintain educational services for local residents.
Regarding the response to the recent weather events, Mansour confirmed that the municipality contacted relevant departments and inspectors. A meeting is planned with department heads and the mayor to assess the situation and determine necessary actions for addressing damages and ongoing rainfall.
In a separate matter, Mansour expressed concern over the recurring shooting incidents and security issues in the Arab community, stating that the municipality lacks the necessary security tools to address these phenomena, placing responsibility on the police. She mentioned ongoing discussions with the police station commander, including an upcoming meeting to discuss security conditions, and expressed hope for a different approach to these challenges. Mansour warned that the lack of security directly impacts economic and tourism activities in Nazareth, stating, "If there is no security and safety, there is also no tourism, nor trade," and cautioned that the current situation is unacceptable and unsustainable.