The delay in the construction of the first Integrated Vocational Training Center (CIFP) in the south of Tenerife is the latest example of how large educational (and non-educational) infrastructures in the region are eternalized. It happened with the Parque La Reina institute, which opened this year after almost three and a half years of delay – thus ending 21 years of “provisional” barracks in Guaza – and it has happened again with the leading center that will facilitate job opportunities to thousands of young southerners and that already adds up to the same amount of delay time.
The CIFP Adeje work was awarded in May 2018 to the company Proyecon Galicia SA (the same company that won the competition to build the institute in Parque la Reina), with a completion period of 22 months. Work began on July 26 of that year, so the building should have been completed on May 26, 2020. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Minister of Education, Poli Suárez, stated on the 12th in the Parliament of the Canary Islands that up to seven extensions of the execution period have been granted, the last one on July 10 with the previous Ministry team. A day later, the second modified project was approved, with the consequent economic variation. The counselor justified the extensions of the deadlines in the conditions derived from the pandemic, the delay in the delivery time of materials, transportation problems, the shortage of raw materials, the incidents due to the increase in the cost of energy and the Ukrainian war.
Although the criticism and media coverage have been much lower than in the case of the Parque La Reina institute, some voices have been heard that show a certain fatigue with the slowness of the work. Like that of the mayor of Adeje, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, who has spoken loud and clear in this newspaper: “What is happening in the South in terms of Education is painful, it seems that we do not exist; Projects are given a boost and then they stop. We have given the Ministry a privileged, fantastic and unbeatable land in a wonderful location [el Ayuntamiento cedió la parcela en 2014] and we still do not have the key infrastructure to prepare our boys and girls.”
“The delivery of the work is close and our idea is that the Adeje Integrated Vocational Training Center will be operational for the next academic year, at least to teach subjects related to tourism, administration or computing,” the counselor stated in the regional chamber. of Education, who confirmed that the work “is already completed” and the reception of the center is currently being processed.
Poli Suárez pointed out that his department is “expediting” the hiring of the person who will be in charge of management, whose appointment will be “imminent”, which he considered “fundamental” to conclude the reception of the center, since he will be the person responsible for signing contracting supplies, such as electricity service or water supply. The next step will be the equipment, which will include the installation of industrial kitchens, worth two million euros.
The area of influence of the CIPF Adeje, called to become a reference for Vocational Training teachings in the southern region, covers from Santiago del Teide to Granadilla de Abona, and an educational area that includes, in addition to the aforementioned municipalities, Guia de Isora, Adeje, Arona, Vilaflor de Chasna and San Miguel de Abona.
In the future facilities, located on Lisbon Street, with capacity for more than 500 students, it will be possible to study the professional titles of Cooking and Gastronomy, Restaurant Services, Travel Agencies and Event Management, Kitchen Management, Services Management and Restoration, Management of Tourist Accommodation and Guide, Tourist Information and Assistance, all from the professional family of Hospitality and Tourism.
Also Bakery, Pastry, Confectionery and Viticulture, from the professional family of Food Industries; in addition to Microcomputer Systems and Networks, Multiplatform Application Development, Web and Network Systems Administration, from the Computer Science and Communications family.
