Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici, together with the Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri visited the site of the new primary school, which is to be built in Victoria, Gozo.
They laid the foundation stone of the new school, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri, Permanent Secretary John Borg, Principal of the Gozo College Denise Mifsud, and Head of School Lelio Spiteri.
This project in is being carried out after years of careful planning and decisions and will be the largest capital project for Gozo’s educational infrastructure. The existing primary school in Victoria is about 160 years old.
The new school will have 16 classrooms for primary education and 10 classrooms for kindergarten. The school will also have classrooms for specific subjects, such as science, information technology and the arts. The school will be spread on 8,000 square metres, of which 3,000 will be for sports and recreational use.
Minister Owen Bonnici said that, “today we are witnessing the laying of the first stone of the new primary school that will be built for our children in this ever-growing locality. It was this government that listened to the educators and felt the need to build a new school here as well. The construction of the new school is an investment of around € 10 million in the educational infrastructure of our country. This project is being carried out against a background of greater investment being made by the government in state schools, which amounts to around €55 million.”
Minister Bonnici went on to mention that, “we will have a school equipped with the best facilities, including technology and sports, similar to the schools being built under this government. The local community will also benefit from this project through a childcare centre for working parents, as well as through many sports facilities that can be used after school hours. As a government, we are committed to making school buildings inclusive for all children and students, we are making schools accessible to all, including people with mobility difficulties.”
“When it came to planning this project, we decided that apart from building a new primary school, we would expand and modernise the adjacent middle school, where works have already started. I thank all the educators, specially the Principal of the College and the Head of School, as well as all the parents and children for the cooperation they are showing. As we have done with other projects, when completed, this will be a beautiful school. One which our children and educators truly deserve”, concluded Minister Bonnici.
Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri said that this is a different infrastructural project – “we are not talking about road infrastructure or reconstruction but a project for our students and children. The need for a larger and more adequate primary school for today’s demands in Victoria, Gozo, has been felt for a number of years. Today we can say that works have started and in the next few months we will have a new primary school in the centre of Victoria, including a childcare centre and a completely refurbished middle school. This school will be a much better alternative for all the children who attend or will attend the primary school in Victoria.”
Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri also said that, “this is not the only project in this area. In addition to this project, a few days ago we started the construction of the Aquatic and Sports Centre which is the first of its kind in Gozo. This will complement this school where there will be a number of areas for various sports disciplines especially indoor as well as an Olympic size swimming pool. Also a few meters away, the construction of the first Gozo Museum is currently underway. In the coming months the first wing, which will include the maritime history of this island, will be ready. Globally these investments amount to around €30 million.”
Minister Clint Camilleri concluded by saying that, “all this reflects the vision and work of this government for Gozo and Gozitans”. He thanked Minister Owen Bonnici for giving priority to schools in Gozo so that Gozitan students are not only given the highest level of education but enjoy the best environment they deserve.”
College Principal Denise Mifsud said that, “at present, the school population comprised 350 students from kindergarten to Year 6. In the new school, besides the classrooms, there are also rooms where specific subjects can be taught, like art, music, drama and science. The new school will have a spacious staffroom as well as a well-equipped gym which will surely enhance indoor sports activities, besides the outside areas where students can have their break in the open air. The new school will also have a hall for the morning assemblies when the weather is cold and other similar activities. The whole building itself gives a sense of ownership and boosts the school ethos. This new school will definitely be a bonus for all present and future students of the Gozo College Rabat Primary School thanks to both ministers.”
This project is being done with an investment of approximately €10 million.
The primary school and the kindergarten will be able to take on approximately 650 pupils collectively.
