Experts to step into school’s aircon woes

The Public School System has tapped the services of a Guam-based air-quality specialist to obtain air samples from Kagman Elementary School’s dirt-clogged classrooms to ensure the campus’ safety in time for resumption of classes.

A pulmonary specialist from the Commonwealth Health Center will also be brought in to interpret the air sample results and determine its safety.

School authorities over the weekend finalized the cleanup of the new school facility’s air-conditioning units, where all filters were replaced.

“We are trying our best to make sure that airconditiong filters continue to get changed. We’re hoping to get a visit from experts. Our interest is to fast track the delivery of results. My hope is that won’t have t shut down the school for long,” said Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos.

PSS ordered a time-out in the Kagman school’s regular class schedule late last week amid an imminent need to rid the campus from its filthy aircon filters, that have been blamed on the series of health and safety concerns reportedly experienced by students and faculty.

Off-campus classes are being looked at as alternative to ensure that school children do not miss the required number of school days as delineated in the school calendar.

“The issue here is that teachers and students want to be out of school no later than June. We’re focused on the originally planned school closing. And we’re trying to stick with this plan so that nobody gets cheated out of their Summer plans,” said Dr. Inos.

Meanwhile, PSS is scheduled to conduct a thorough inspection of the duct linings with assistance from the air-quality specialist.

According to PSS Capital Improvement Projects Coordinator Chris Fryling, the aircon filters need to be cleaned or replaced every 14 days for the next few months until the ducts are thoroughly clean and free of original debris.

After that, they have to be cleaned every 30 days for the life of the building itself.

“Regular maintenance and an adequate maintenance budget is essential to ensure that filters remain clean and air circulation is of acceptable quality. Our office would like to replace the disposable filters with reusable aluminum filters save costs,” said Mr. Fryling in a letter addressed to Kagman Elem. School principal Ignacia Demapan.

PSS has already requested for bids from manufacturers as regards the type of filters needed.