Education Minister, , has today announced a new
Curriculum-Led Capital Investment Programme for schools
throughout Northern Ireland.
The new programme provides investment in resources, equipment and
facilities that will directly support and enhance delivery of the
Northern Ireland curriculum.
This new investment stream will facilitate a large number of
high-impact, lower-cost projects in schools and complement the
Department's existing new build and extension programmes.
Commenting on the announcement, the Minister
said: “This new programme will target
investment on key areas of learning across the Northern Ireland
curriculum.
“I am determined to make the most of available capital
funding to enhance learning and teaching for all our
children. The curriculum-led programme
will ensure that every pupil in every school will benefit
from capital investment to improve curriculum delivery. Our
children need and deserve this investment.”
Outlining how the new curriculum-led capital investment programme
will invest in priority areas that will directly enhance delivery
of the curriculum, the Minister continued: “We have very
strong evidence that inadequate facilities are currently having a
key impact on the delivery of PE in our schools.
“The initial focus of the first stage of the programme
will therefore be a call for for outdoor covered
sports spaces for primary schools and for synthetic pitches and
sports halls in the post-primary sector.
“This focus on PE will be supplemented by specific annual
investment priorities to refresh resources and equipment more
widely. This year, the programme will provide funding of £10
million pounds to roll-outoutdoor play equipment
for every nursery and primary school. It will also deliver 15,000
new desktop computers across all post-primary and special
schools.”
The Department will consult further with school leaders over
coming months to identify future priority areas of investment
across the curriculum.
Notes to editors:
- Education Minister's statement announcing the new
Curriculum-Led Capital Investment Programme for schools -
www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/statement-assembly-curriculum-led-capital-investment-programme
