Inuvik (Oct 20/03) - From painting delays to a playground in disrepair, Beaufort education council members have school maintenance issues in their sights.

Delegates to the Beaufort Delta Education Council meeting Oct. 7 in Inuvik told Brian Lemax, GNWT regional superintendent of public works and services, their schools are falling into disrepair and they're concerned for the students' safety.

The start of school was disrupted for more than 30 students at Inualthuyak school in Sachs Harbour when workers failed to finish an interior paint job by the first day back in August, said Lucy Kudlak, the Sachs Harbour District Education Authority chair.

"This was a really disturbed school year for us," said Kudlak.Our kids had to spend the first few days out of class. We have enough blizzards and interruptions during the school year without this."

In Holman, the playground at Helen Kalvak school is falling into disrepair.

"You'll see the swing hanging on one side and not on the other. The swings are rusty and you can see some slivers on the parts that are wooden," said Jean Ekpakohak of the Holman District Education Authority.

"The playground really needs repairs and we've requested the hamlet to do it while school is out but nothing has been done."

Lemax admitted many of these concerns could have been avoided or need to be addressed.

Although he is not directly responsible for most of the situations, he hopes to address these concerns with local contractors.

Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority chair James Pokiak said contractors are often too busy to address school concerns.

"Things do work fairly well," said Pokiak, adding Mangilaluk school has a lot of problems with the furnace.

"But when we're relying on part-time contractors with other things to do, sometimes things don't happen. I can't set the priority to make things happen. A dedicated, qualified person would make things better."

B.K. Herman, Holman's senior administrative officer, agrees with Pokiak.

Since 1997 the hamlet has been responsible for maintaining the school.

The playground is not covered by the agreement the hamlet has with the education council.

But there's not much more they can do with one journeyman who maintains 100 homes and all the hamlet buildings, including the school, said Herman.

"The school is in really good shape," he said adding the only thing Lemax found in need of an update during his regular check this summer was a new paint job.

"I think the parents should take pride (in the playground) and keep it up," said Herman.

Lemax is looking into addressing all the concerns raised at the BDEC meeting.