The Education Minister has announced fifteen school building projects will progress to construction, including Lurgan Model Integrated Primary School.
The Lurgan school is one of eight primary and post-primary schools that will receive investment through major extension and refurbishment and new build construction projects.
Seven other new build primary schools will now progress to procurement and construction.
Education Minister, Paul Givan, has announced capital funding allocations for 2024-25., securing an additional £80million of capital funding for education this year, which will allow the projects to proceed.
Speaking yesterday (Tuesday), he said: “Today’s significant announcement will see 15 schools benefiting from new state of the art facilities for young people from Belfast to Ballymena to Enniskillen and beyond.
“The investment will also provide a welcome boost to the construction industry over the next number of years.”
Lurgan Model Primary School is based at Brownlow Terrace, in a listed building dating back to the mid-1800s.
Last month, planning permission was granted for an extension to the existing school building.
There are proposals too to build a new stand-alone nursery unit in the playground to the rear.
The news that capital funding has been secured for the school was welcomed by Alliance Party MLA Eóin Tennyson, who said it was “welcome news for pupils and their families”.
He commented: “When constructed, the extension and permanent structure for the nursery unit will add much needed space and flexibility for this growing school.
“This follows on from many good news stories for the school over recent months including their successful vote to transform to integrated status from September 2024 and the planning permission which was granted for this extension earlier this year.
“I look forward to continuing to support the school and thank the teachers and school community for their work in advancing this progress.”
Minister Givan also announced he plans to launch a series of targeted “smaller-scale” investment programmes to support the delivery of the curriculum in schools.
He said: “Potential schemes in this area will include specialist curriculum accommodation at post-primary; outdoor play and PE in the primary phase and curriculum resources and equipment more widely.
“It is my priority to ensure the educational experiences of as many children and young people as possible across Northern Ireland are impacted positively by capital investment.”
The opening capital budget for education in 2024-25 is £254 million, which will allow continued investment in ten major school build projects, among other needs.
Over £50 million has been earmarked to support Special Educational Needs. It is also planned to commence construction of the flagship Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh, which will provide five new post-primary schools.
