In the wake of mounting school repair costs, Senator Lavern King has called for a national discussion on holding students directly accountable for vandalism, suggesting they could be required to repair the furniture they damage.
According to Senator King, the government spent a total of $7 million on school repairs this year. Shockingly, she revealed that $3.5 million of that budget—amounting to half of the total expenditure—was spent entirely on rectifying avoidable vandalism.
“You can’t be spending more than half of the budget on things that really could have been avoided,” King stated, expressing frustration over the misallocation of taxpayer funds.
King explained that these high maintenance costs directly block the education ministry from implementing modern upgrades in schools.
She noted that her vision is to transition schools away from mechanical flushes to sensor-activated systems, but such developmental initiatives remain out of reach while millions are diverted to repair intentional damage.
To curb this trend, Senator King proposed a hands-on approach to accountability. She suggested that rather than simply absorbing the costs of broken desks and chairs, the education system should look into sending students to technical vocational centers to repair the items themselves.
“Quite frankly, I think there needs to be a discussion about if you damage your furniture, whether or not students should go to the TV center and fix it back,” King said. “I think it’s a good initiative if we open that discussion.”
The Senator urged both parents and students to take greater pride and responsibility in caring for school property. By reducing vandalism, she emphasized, the government would be able to channel vital funds back into actual educational programs and long-term developmental initiatives.
