“There is no risk of structural collapse or imminent collapse”. This is the response from the Education Department of the Government of the Canary Islands to the parents of the students at the El Toscal Longuera school in the municipality of Los Realejos.
In this way, the department of the regional government calms the educational community of this nursery and primary school in the north of Tenerife after the Parents and Students Association (AMPA) expressed concern about the poor condition of the building.
On Wednesday, the AMPA of El Toscal Longuera questioned on their Facebook profile: “Is our school at risk of collapse while the authorities look the other way?”. The comment added: “For over 7 years, the structure of the school has been damaged due to water leaks. After reporting it to the different authorities, all they do is pass responsibility from one to another while time passes and the condition of the building where our children study continues to deteriorate”.
“Following an initial meeting with the parents, we appeal to the rest of the families to join forces and demand from the authorities that our sons and daughters can study safely,” the parents’ comment states.
The response from the Education Department came this Thursday, through a report from the Technical Construction Unit. “The oxidation pathology of the reinforcements in the sanitary chamber currently does not imply any risk of structural collapse. It is localized and there are no signs of structural movements (cracks or fissures in pavements and floors)”, concludes the Education communication.
The sanitary chamber of El Toscal Longuera school in Los Realejos under development. / The Day
The sanitary chamber or structural floor is the element that separates a building from the ground. Its main purpose is to prevent moisture transmission. The poor condition of this chamber in the school in Los Realejos had caused issues due to dampness which they are trying to address with ongoing works that all parties admit are progressing more slowly than expected.
The Los Realejos City Council, responsible for the maintenance of educational facilities, also stepped in to reassure the AMPA members by clarifying that the students are not in any danger.
“There is no risk of structural collapse or imminent collapse,” clarifies the Education Department of the Government of the Canary Islands to the parents of the students at El Toscal Longuera School
Even the school management had to intervene El Toscal Longuera due to the dissemination of “alarmist” messages among parents. “The situation is by no means as it is being presented in some WhatsApp messages, alarmist, lacking truth and with events that have not occurred,” states the school’s communication.
The school authorities also inform the AMPA that this Friday, their members are called to a meeting in the school gymnasium which will be attended by the Education Councillor of the Los Realejos City Council, José David Cabrera, and a municipal technician, who will explain the status of the works to address the issues detected in the building, never as serious as to require drastic measures, and clarify that there is no risk of partial or total collapse threatening the educational community.
Los Realejos City Council will clarify today to the educational community that there is no danger for the minors studying at the centre
The Government of the Canary Islands itself clarifies the situation regarding the works. It explains that the rehabilitation of the structural floor was suspended due to the hardness of the terrain, which hindered the progress of the works. “Since the suspension, work has been done on a technical consolidation solution by filling the sanitary chamber, commissioning the drafting of the project in 2023 which was halted due to doubts about its feasibility.”
The Education Department concludes in its technical explanation: “Following a technical meeting held in February of this year, it has been resumed, with plans to carry out the work in the next two summers in order not to disrupt the teaching activities at the centre.”
