The Ministry of Education is in negotiations with a provider who can offer the necessary facilities for teachers and students within skipper and master education programs and other related education programs within maritime education that they wish to initiate.
Naalakkersuisoq for Education Nivi Olsen states in a paragraph 37 response to Demokraatits Bo Martinsen that they expect to sign a lease agreement "in the near future".
Ownership versus rental
The answer shows that the Greenland Government would most likely own the buildings that will house the maritime education. But that will not be the case in this case.
It is stated that the Greenland Government “has not carried out any assessments and calculations on the appropriateness of ownership versus rental”.
- However, in light of developments on the premises market in Nuuk, where increasing demand and increasing rent prices continue over the years, the Greenland Government does consider that ownership of physical premises built to meet the needs of the school will be the most appropriate in the long term, states Nivi Olsen.
She points out that this should be seen in relation to the development and establishment of new education programmes within maritime transport and the possibility of bringing together all maritime education programmes and courses in this country at one location. That overview is not available and impact calculations have therefore not been carried out.
Challenged economy
And then there is the matter of the economy: owning or renting when the Treasury's economy is challenged. Here, Nivi Olsen points out, among other things, that a lot of money has been set aside for the construction of a new Iron and Metal School in Sisimiut.
There is thus no expectation that the Self-Government will build a maritime education center "in the near future", as Nivi Olsen puts it, even though it will continue to be on the wish list.
Back in 2024, the board of Imarsiornermik Ilinniarfik submitted a concept paper for a construction program for a new school. The financial estimate for building the school was estimated at 132 million kroner.
Today, the current physical framework in Issortarfik 5 costs just under 1.35 million kroner per year in rent. To this must be added the rent of premises for course activities, which amounts to 695,000 kroner annually, according to the response.
