Yet another ambitious project for Gozo, which sees the redevelopment of the present Ninu Cremona Lyceum Complex in Victoria into a modern state-of-the art secondary school for boys, was started in recent days.

The new school will be the fourth new school being built by the Foundation for Tomorrow’s School following the St Benedict’s Boys’ Secondary School in Kirkop, the new school at Qormi, and the new school instead of the Verdala Junior Lyceum. The project is being carried out by the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools under the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment in collaboration with the Ministry for Gozo.

Phase One of this new project was started last week. The current phase involves demolition of one of the minor school playgrounds, corridor and stairs, excavation works, and the building and finishing of a block that will be the first in a series of another four blocks. Upon completion, the first block will be accessible for the school administration to make use of while works on the other blocks would be underway. The project requires an investment of Lm3m.

The completed school will have 45 classrooms, 9 science laboratories, 6 technology workshops, 4 computer labs, art rooms, home economics rooms, needlework room, graphical communications rooms, resource rooms and other modern educational facilities including career guidance rooms, a library and open spaces that can be used for school and community purposes. An underground car park will also be constructed while a new road, connecting Europe Street to Fortunato Mizzi Street, will be constructed in order for school transport to have a more secure and safe bay area.

Major excavation works have been programmed to be completed by the end of September in order to minimise inconveniences for students. Care is also being taken to cordon off the building site by the construction of a seven-course wall and a gate which will ensure that access to the site is continuously monitored and controlled. This will ensure the safety of students and staff at all times. Provision for access to the school’s workshops, which will still be used during the next scholastic year, has also been taken care of.

Minister Debono thanked the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools falling under the responsibility of Education Minister Louis Galea who is also giving specific attention to schools in Gozo, to follow the intensive modernisation programme that has been embarked on in Malta in recent years. Minister Debono said that following the positive experiences of the new schools being built by the FTS in Malta, it is expected that the new school in Victoria will be built to high standards within the stipulated time.

Accompanied also by Dr Frank Abela, head of the school, Minister Debono visited an area previously not utilised by the school, which has now been reorganised to serve as an alternative play and recreation area for the students. School assembly will now be held in an area next to the adjacent Gozo Sports Complex while the same complex will be used for football games and other recreational activities.

The Ministry for Gozo and the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools carried out a series of embellishment and refurbishment works in other schools in Gozo in order to provide Gozitan children with safe, attractive and accessible facilities. Works throughout the last months were carried out at the Ghajnsielem, Nadur, Xewkija and Zebbug primary schools as well as the Agius de Soldanis Girls Junior Lyceum and Secondary School and the Sir Mikelang Refalo Centre for Further Studies.