Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/368911
MiriaM Dalli Maintenance works in public schools across Malta and Gozo will total €20 million during 2014, accord- ing to Minister for education evarist Bartolo. Works committed during the sum- mer months on 40 schools total €8 million. Renovation works were also required to provide for the government's deci- sion to move towards co-educational teaching and the subsequent develop- ment of middle schools. the concept was first introduced at St clare college's secondary school and will now be adopted by all schools as from the coming scholastic year. the co-education system will be starting from Form 1 in all colleges of Malta and Gozo from the scholastic year 2014-15. "the wide consultation process showed that colleges were in favour of the co-ed system," Bartolo said. the education minister reiterated his support for smaller schools in order to reach out to the students and ensure that they are receiving adequate atten- tion. Significant alterations were carried out on four schools to accommodate middle schools in Birkirkara, cos- picua, Rabat and Gozo. a total of €2.1 million were spent on the new middle school in cospicua, part of St Margaret's college. cctV cameras were also installed in almost all co-ed middle schools, class- room furniture has been replaced and new sanitary facilities installed. "i am pleased to see that hard work has continued during the summer to make these schools ship-shape for the start of the new term. Our children and their educators deserve good facilities. it is important to create environments that make learning enjoyable and re- warding," Bartolo said. "the €20 million investment for this year shows the government's commit- ment to education and following up on the substantial work which took place last year, this year we have continued to increase the budget for school main- tenance across Malta and Gozo." National sports school a three-storey block to serve as a state-of-the-art sports school will be constructed in Pembroke. the Luigi Preziosi School will take over the na- tional sports school in Kirkop, which formed part of the boys' secondary school. Visiting the €1.6 million project that is currently underway, the education Minister said the sports school will ca- ter for 225 students. the renovation works at the national Sports School in Pembroke include the removal of asbestos water tanks and canopies. the site was identified in 2013 and applications submitted to MePa were approved and granted earlier this year. tenders for the first phase of the project, amounting to €300,000, were awarded in 2014. a 1,400 square metre sports hall spanning 35 metres will be completed in 2015. maltatoday, Sunday, 24 auguSt 2014 News School maintenance works during 2014 to total €20 million NGOs criticise 'impotent' environment minister enViROnMentaL nGOs Flim- kien ghal ambjent ahjar, Friends of the earth, and the Ramblers' asso- ciation have said environment minis- ter Leo Brincat was "completely silent and impotent" in the face of what they have termed 'theft' of public land of unprecedented proportions in areas ranging from San Blas, Marsalforn, comino, Mellieha, Bugibba, Sliema, ta' Xbiex, Birgu, and Marsaskala. "Some of them are totally abusive and others, such as the outrageous privatisation of the ta' Xbiex gardens, are initiated by the authorities. "the Gozitan coastline is especially targeted, as restaurants are taking over the promenades at Marsalforn and Xlendi as well as il-Kantra Bay in Mgarr ix-Xini," the nGOs said. the nGOs said loopholes and fast- tracking of applications, and "pub- lic, official charades like that of the Monte Kristo estates" have sent the wrong message to developers. they also said that such develop- ments go against MePa's Structure Plan, which states that "the Plan- ning authority will rigidly control the development of the countryside and coast" because they are "two of the nation's most valuable natural resources". "this amounts to a bare-faced ero- sion of public rights, condemned by the Ombudsman as a bad adminis- tration without due consideration of the national interest," the nGOs said. the three nGOs launched a change.org petition requesting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to protect public spaces and MePa to object the proposed lido extension at Ferro Bay, Sliema. Education Minister Evarist Bartolo