A LATE delivery of state-of-the-art equipment and water in the gas main have meant Okehampton College's new £2.4-million technology centre is not fully functioning at the moment.
One hundred and fifty state-of-the-art computer screens destined for the college are currently stuck on a boat somewhere in Taiwan and the centre has no gas supply.
Manufacturing problems have held up the delivery of the flat screens which are due to be installed in the technology centre, which opened at the beginning of the autumn term.
College principal Chris Powell said this week that some temporary screens had been supplied while they were waiting for the delivery.
'As far as I am aware there are about 100 customers in the same position as us,' he said.
'These glass-fronted flat screens are specially made by a factory in Taiwan and there are many thousands due to be shipped over in one bulk order.
'Fortunately it is not preventing the youngsters using IT as the suppliers have given us some equipment to tide us over. We expect to get the flat screens in a few weeks' time.'
Mr Powell said the problems of gas supply to the new block, which were identified last month, would hopefully be sorted out in the next ten days.
At the moment the whole block, which includes a catering training kitchen, is without gas: 'In terms of food technology and catering training, we cannot function effectively at the moment,' said the principal.
'We have some electric facilities for food technology but we cannot use any of the hobs in the catering training kitchen and it is most frustrating for the students and teachers.'
He added that welding had been done on the main but Transco engineers could not get a constant gas pressure and believed there was still some water in the pipe somewhere on site.
'Given that there is 300 metres of gas main on the college site it is difficult to locate the problem,' he said.
'We do believe it will be sorted out very soon.'