Zagreb schools and kindergartens are facing serious asbestos problems.
Primary and secondary school students, as well as children in kindergarten, have been attending school for almost a month now, but many schools are still faced with a serious problem of asbestos in their roofs, Jutarnji list reports on September 29, 2017.
Even though the City has promised to replace them this year, and there has been some improvement, there are still many schools and kindergartens with asbestos problems. A reporter from Jutarnji list spoke to several principals, who said that there was nothing they could do about it.
Ivana Brlić Mažuranić Kindergarten in Dubrava is to be demolished and then renovated completely. Principal Mira Božić said that they had been doing their best, but the building is 40 years old.
“We have had leaks because some of the roof sheets are over 20 years old. They are past their expiration date and some of them broke when children played on the roof,” Ms Božić said.
Prečko Kindergarten is facing the same problem and the parents have complained about it. Principal Ljiljana Šarić says that they are trying to obtain a demolition permit and that the demolition process should start in 2018.
The situation is no better at primary schools – Matko Laginja Primary School in Downtown Zagreb is also waiting for permits and they expect the school’s roof to be replaced next year.
“Asbestos was found only in one part of the roof, above the gym, which is a separate building. The City officials have stated that our roof will be replaced next summer,” Principal Božidar Bilafer says, adding that the roof has no cracks in it, so it doesn’t pose a threat to children’s health. Still, they try to reduce the time that children spend in that part of the school.
Marin Držić Primary School is also having its roof replaced. Principal Marica Nemet explains that the asbestos sheets were replaced in June, when there were no students at the school, and, if everything goes according to plan, they should have a new roof by the end of the year.
“We have had multiple demands from the Parents’ Council for the asbestos sheets to be replaced because we are talking about the entire roof,” Mr Nemet says.
Several secondary schools are facing this problem, too. Ms Željka Frković, the 10th Gymnasium Principal, says that project documents are being drafted and that works on replacing asbestos sheets should begin early next year. Electrical Engineering Vocational School has four building roofs covered in asbestos sheets, and they hope that they will get the funds necessary for the sheets to be replaced next year.
The Postal and Telecommunications School of Zagreb has reached the critical point – their roof has started leaking.
“Our school was supposed to be renovated this year, but it did not happen. The roof is in terrible shape and, to tell you the truth, I am afraid to send our janitor up there to remove the leaves and assess the situation because I fear the worst outcome. The children are not in danger, but the roof needs to be repaired immediately,” Principal Zlatko Sviben said.
A list of all the buildings where asbestos was found can be found below:
Kindergartens
- GAJNICE, Peruanska 1
- REMETINEC, Remetinečki gaj 25
- IVANA BRLIĆ MAŽURANIĆ, Cerska bb
- ZVONČIĆ, Voltino 48
- JABUKA, Čulinec i Retkovec
- PREČKO, Jarnovićeva
- KOLIBRI, Miroševečka
- MEDVEŠČAK, Vlaška
- CVRČAK, Gjalskoga 29a
Primary Schools
- CVJETNO NASELJE, Cvjetna cesta 17
- J. KLOVIĆA, Nova cesta 133
- I. MAŽURANIĆA, Javorinska ul. 5
- M. DRŽIĆA, Nalješkovićeva ul. 4
- D. TRSTENJAKA, Krčka ul. 3
- MLADOST, Karamanov prilaz
- N. TESLE, Ul. Ivana Matetića Ronjgova 67
- D. CESARIĆA, Đalskoga ul. 29
- S.S. KRANJČEVIĆA, Bogišićeva ul. 13
- M. LAGINJE, Ul. Matka Laginje 13
- BUKOVAC, Trnac ul. 42
- K.Š. ĐALSKOG, Mlinarska cesta 35
- J. KAŠTELANA, Ul. Vladimira Ruždjaka 2a
Secondary Schools
- ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SCHOOL, Konavoska ulica 2
- POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS SCHOOL, Trg John F. Kennedy 9
- 10th GYMNASIUM, Ulica Vjekoslava Klaića 7
- MACHINERY AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL FAUST VRANČIĆ, Avenija Marina Držića 14
Translated from Jutarnji list.
