Governor downsizes plans to build new schools

Francisco Morales High School in Naranjito underwent renovations last year. Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said “the reality is that the available funds do not cover” the construction of 40-plus new schools announced by former Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia. Instead, she said, fewer new schools will be built and funds will be redirected to renovating existing schools. (Facebook via Governor Pierluisi)

By The Star Staff

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced this week that, due to the lack of additional federal funds to address inflation, the government is adjusting previously announced projects and redirecting funds.

“The best example I can provide is related to schools. Governor Pierluisi had announced the construction of over 40 new schools, but the reality is that the available funds do not cover that many,” the governor stated during a press conference on Wednesday. “I have instructed the Department of Education and the Public Buildings Authority to adjust our plans. Instead of the 42 new schools that are not feasible, we will focus on building 10 to 12 schools in areas with the greatest need. The remaining funds will be used to ensure that all of Puerto Rico’s schools are in good condition. What is the benefit of having a ‘state-of-the-art’ school in one town while the rest of the schools are in disrepair? It doesn’t make sense to build new vocational schools in areas where existing schools are not being utilized.”

However, new schools will still be built in the southern region of Puerto Rico to address the impact of recent earthquakes.

The announcement came following weeks in which President Trump has cut and fired thousands of federal workers, including 1,300 in the U.S. Education Department on Tuesday.

In addition to the schools, the governor noted that evaluations are ongoing for some road projects, specifically PR-10, which was to be funded through federal Community Development and Housing Grants for Disaster Mitigation programs managed by the island Housing Department.

“The first step I took was to meet with the Department of Housing to reevaluate all ongoing projects,” González Colón said. “I want to avoid starting a project and then running out of funds halfway through, which has happened with many coliseums in Puerto Rico that remain unfinished due to a lack of funding. We conducted that evaluation.”

“We are reviewing all highway projects and those funded by housing grants, and we will reallocate some of these funds,” she added. “There is an additional requirement we must consider: most of these federal funds must be disbursed -- at least half of them -- by 2028, with others required by 2026 and 2027. I refuse to allow projects to remain in limbo due to a lack of federal permits, resulting in us having to return money at the end of the road. I prefer to redirect those funds to other projects that may not have received full financing. This process is already underway, and we will hold public discussions about each project so that the people of Puerto Rico can understand where the funds are being reallocated from and to.”