User friendly school buildings

Satish Nakched, Suva

I was quite annoyed and indignant to read an article in the newspaper last week that the Committee of Supply in Parliament found it very amusing and entertaining to hear the news that the Government had reduced the cost of the completion of the Bau College building at Mokani, Tailevu, by removing the installation of two lifts and three escalators.

The college is expected to cater for about 500 students. The reduction was made to ensure the completion of the project within the allocation.

I believe that the architect, who designed the building, was very inventive and a perceptive person.

The architect had the vision and the understanding of the global development and designed a building that will not discriminate anyone and provided everyone excess and egress from the building in a safe manner, including students and staff, who require special need.

Removing the installation of the three escalators is justifiable, but the lifts or elevators must be available in any multi-storey building so students, staff and visitors with mobility problems can access the place without any difficulties.

Lifts in buildings can accommodate stretchers in emergencies and such installation plays a vital role in getting the victim to the hospital as medical treatment can be time sensitive.

The Asia Pacific Development Centre in 2008 estimated that the people with disability in Fiji in 2008 was about 10 percentage of the population, however in 2019, the Pacnews revealed that there are 13.7 percentage, who are physically challenged and in actual numbers there are 113,595 people with disability in the country.

Fiji is a signatory of the Sustainable Development Growth that was adapted in 2015 with 17 pillar goals that we have to achieve by 2030.

Goal number 10 is focused to reduce inequities and that is captured in our Constitution where the Rights of People with Disabilities Act 2018 was enacted.

Some interesting sections of the said Act include discrimination on the basis of disability and rights of persons with special needs.

All persons with disabilities have the right to reasonable access to all indoor and outdoor places. All persons with disabilities have the right to work, on an equal basis with others.

I believe that the decision makers must understand the legislative requirements and enforce such directives that any new buildings must comply with the standards set within the framework of our robust laws that must be a user friendly and not discriminatory to some.

The ministry concerned has the duty of care to provide and maintain means of access to and egress from it that are safe and without any such risks in schools.