Minister of Education Kirby Yung (
Ministry statistics indicate that 673 schools were severely or partially damaged in the earthquake. These include 620 elementary and junior high schools, 20 high schools and 33 colleges.
After a preliminary survey, at least 1,052 temporary elementary and junior high classrooms and 218 high school classrooms are needed. The cost of building the temporary structures is estimated at NT$260 million.
Yung said the ministry has asked the state-run RSEA Engineering Corporation (
Local governments will receive construction funds for the facilities as soon as building begins, Yung said.
The temporary classrooms will be ready in two months, he said.
Some 380 elementary and junior high schools in hard-hit Nantou and Taichung counties and Taichung City are still closed this week.
Officials from Nantou County, where all 182 schools are closed, said they are not sure when classes can restart because safety inspections of school buildings have not been completed.
Vice Minister of Education Yang Kuo-shih (
The ministry has worked out plans to ensure that students' education is not interrupted by the earthquake before the temporary classrooms are ready for operation.
While students are allowed to go to schools in other localities, local governments can also make arrangements for them to go to neighboring schools.
The ministry will subsidize the students' transportation and boarding expenses.
Damaged schools are expected to put forth their reconstruction plans within two weeks.
Yung said further evaluation is required to decide whether these schools can be relocated.
A major factor in the decision-making process, Yung said, will be the availability of land for relocations.
Many schools severely damaged in the disaster were located on or in the vicinity of the Chelungpu fault (
Some geologists have suggested that the government ban construction of any new buildings along fault lines.
Shen Hsiu-hsiung (
Shen estimated that it would cost the government at least NT$10 billion to relocate all of the damaged schools.
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