The Minister secured an additional £80million of capital funding for education this year, which will allow fifteen important new build and extension and refurbishment projects for schools from all sectors to proceed to construction, as well as the launch of a new programme of curriculum-led investment.
Visting Bangor Central Integrated Primary School, one the schools which will now proceed to tender and construction, the Minister said: “I am delighted to be at Bangor Central Integrated Primary School where children and teachers will benefit from a £10million new school. When the UK Government removed ring-fenced Fresh Start funding, I moved this project and others to my conventional major works programme. It will now proceed as envisaged, as too will the project for Millennium Integrated Primary School.
“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.”
The Minister continued: “I also plan over coming weeks to launch a series of targeted smaller scale investment programmes to support and enhance the delivery of the curriculum in our schools. 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 £254million. This will allow continued investment in ten major school build projects currently in contract or on site and digital infrastructure across the schools’ estate; keep schools open and safe; and provide much needed school places for the most vulnerable pupils with Special Educational Needs.
Over £50million 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.