New bid to find money for Down High proposal

New bid to find money for Down High proposal

30 May 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

THE Education Minister will be asked to seriously consider the need for new facilities for Down High School, following a meeting to discuss the issue at Stormont.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon and Down High School principal, Paul Logan, met Mervyn Storey, chairman of Stormont’s education committee, recently to highlight the school’s continuing need for an improved building.

Down High School has been in need of improved facilities for several years and despite a site being located for a new building at Strangford Road in Downpatrick, funding has not yet been allocated to the project.

At the Stormont meeting, which was arranged by Mr. Shannon, Mr. Logan spoke with Mr. Storey about the growing need for improved facilities to cater for the school’s 1,100 student population.

Mr. Shannon said the need was evident through the extensive use of mobile classrooms at the school, which operates mostly from a 50 year-old building.

“There is an urgent need for a new school as the catchment area for Down High School is very large and stretches from Newtownards, Belfast and Lisburn to Kilkeel,” he said.

“There are 950 senior pupils at the school with 150 in the prep. The new build project has been with the department for some time and during that time the need for a new school to accommodate 1100 children has become more urgent.

“The school’s Board of Governors is anxious to get the new school started and I will be seeking a meeting with the new chairman of the South Eastern Education and Library Board, Mr. Gregory Butler, about this.

“Mr. Storey will also be speaking to Education Minister Mr. John O’Dowd to increase the pressure on officials to ensure that Down High School is able to secure land and a new business plan so the desperately needed new school can be provided.”

Mr. Logan said the Board of Governors and the senior leadership team at the school continued to work “strenuously” with politicians from many parties to address the need for new facilities.

“I remain optimistic that the education and library board and Department of Education will be able to address the school’s needs despite the challenging nature of public services finances,” he said.