Oyu Tolgoi to help build school complex in Khanbogd soum
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Khanbogd Soum on August 5 for the Khanbogd School and Kindergarten Complex construction project, funded by the Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund.
The fund is financed by Oyu Tolgoi LLC and managed in partnership with the local community as part of the cooperation agreement. The complex is expected to be completed by August 2018 and will comprise of a secondary school that can accommodate 640 students and a kindergarten for up to 200 children.
Due to Khanbogd soum’s rapid development and high population density increase, the soum lacks kindergartens and schools. Today, a school designed for 440 students takes 970 students and a kindergarten for 300 takes 420 children, which is double the capacity.
The total expenditure of the project is forecast to be 6.08 billion MNT. The main executor of the project is Goviin Uguuj LLC, with Ikher bayan govi LLC, Galtuud LLC, and Dayan Baigal LLC will be working on the project as sub-contractors.
“Oyu Tolgoi is part of the Umnugovi family and its closest partner. Therefore, we are always happy to contribute to the development of Khanbogd soum in Umnugovi Province. Currently, 1,200 Khanbogd residents and 1,000 other soum residents are working for Oyu Tolgoi. It is our duty to provide the children of our workers with a comfortable and clean environment to study,” said Stephen Jones, Chief Operating Officer of Oyu Tolgoi.
Mayor of Khanbogd Soum D.Dendevsamba said the first school that was built in Khanbogd soum in 1940 is still currently the only one. The school has been expanded and renovated only once in over 70 years. The mayor added that children have to go to school in multiple shifts due to shortage. Once the new school is built, the mayor says it will be able to accommodate every child in the soum.
Since its inception, the Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund has executed 47 projects costing 22.3 billion MNT in cooperation with 79 local businesses, according to the fund’s CEO S.Erdenbat.