NICIE welcomes the Minister for Education, John O’Dowd’s, announcement on Tuesday, 22 January, 2013 on capital projects.
A total of 22 schools are due to benefit from the capital projects, worth £220 million. The following integrated schools will benefit:
- Braidside Integrated Primary School, Ballymena
- Corran Integrated Primary School, Larne
- Omagh Integrated Primary School
- Parkhall Integrated College, Antrim
- Portadown Integrated Primary School, Portadown
Noreen Campbell, Chief Executive of NICIE, said: “We are delighted that five integrated schools are named on this list. Parkhall Integrated College has been operating on a split site for some years, four of these schools: Corran IPS, Braidside IPS, Portadown IPS and Omagh IPS have been operating entirely in temporary accommodation since they were established more than 20 years ago.
“The commitment of staff, the belief of parents and the dedication of Boards of Governors have been rewarded with this news which promises long awaited buildings to these popular and respected schools.”
Braidside Integrated Primary and Nursery School Principal Robert Scott said:
“The school has been in mobiles for over twenty years, now teaching the children of past pupils in the same temporary buildings that their parents knew. We came out of the area planning audit in robust good health, we provide an option for integrated education which is valued by a good number of families and we are thrilled that we can now look forward to having a permanent building.”
Speaking following the announcement the school Principal of Corran Integrated Primary School, Denise Macfarlane said: “This is wonderful news. This academic year Corran IPS is celebrating its 21st anniversary. The school has grown from an initial intake of 50 pupils to over 200 pupils and as a consequence the school accommodation has also grown over the years. We have been pressing for a permanent school building on our current site and I am pleased that the Minister and Department of Education have recognised the long term viability of Corran Integrated Primary School within the Larne area through theirstrategic work on area planning.”
Nigel Cairns of Omagh Integrated Primary and Nursery said:
“The school community of Omagh Integrated Primary and Nursery were delighted when they learned of the ministerial announcement last Tuesday. Hopefully the school will be built on a green field site over the coming years. The site is beside our sister post primary school – Drumragh Integrated College. We therefore look forward to a new integrated era within the Omagh area offering cohesive educational provision from Nursery to Post 16 within a quasi integrated educational campus.”
ENDS
For further information or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please contact Noreen Campbell, Chief Executive Officer at (028) 9097 2910 or mob. 07878721327 or via email to ncampbell@nicie.org.uk or Louise McIvor, Communications Secretary, lmcivor@nicie.org.uk tel: (028) 9097 2910.
