Public school faces dire conditions with heating shortages, facilities’ neglect

AMMAN — A public school in Amman is grappling with heating shortages, broken windows, unsanitary facilities and a lack of basic amenities. 

The school, located in an underprivileged area, finds itself in a dire state, with 500 students and staff struggling to cope with the harsh winter conditions.

A teacher from the school, who requested anonymity, said that despite repeated attempts to reach out to the Ministry of Education for assistance, their requests for heaters and maintenance have been ignored.

The teacher expressed frustration, labelling the distribution of resources as “random” and “unjustified”.

The teacher mentioned that the Ministry of Education provided the school with a kerosene allowance totaling 600 litres. However, the school lacks a sufficient number of heaters to make use of this allocation. Currently, the school has a total of 12 heaters; some are in proper working order, while others are only partially functional.

Furthermore, the teacher highlighted that a sum of JD200 was allocated for cleaning detergents throughout the entire school year. However, there is a lack of cleaning staff available to utilise these detergents effectively.

The teacher emphasised that such managerial oversights are not uncommon in public schools.

“The condition of the school is terrible,” the teacher said. “We don’t have proper and clean toilets for use; neither do we have clean water for drinking. Children sit in cold classrooms, and how can they study and concentrate in such an environment?”

In response to inquiries, the Education Ministry’s Buildings Director Isam Abu Ahmada told The Jordan Times that an inspection team would be sent to assess the situation at the school and necessary measures would be taken.

Abu Ahmada disclosed that there are currently no cleaning staff employed, acknowledging a decade-long halt in hiring. 

“Whoever retires or quits, there are no alternative staff,” said Abu Ahmada. However, he said that efforts are underway to rectify this by hiring new cleaning personnel.