Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop made the announcement today as she visited one of the schools to benefit, Lasswade High in Midlothian, before officially opening the new Armadale Academy. Ms Hyslop described the new building as "an inspirational example of everything a new school can be".
The Scottish Government, together with COSLA, will now accelerate the process of agreeing the first set of primary schools to benefit from investment, with an announcement expected before the end of the year. Every local authority local authority area across Scotland is expected to benefit from the first phases of the school building programme which sees £800 million of funding from the Scottish Government and £450 million from local councils.
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The Cabinet Secretary also today, jointly with COSLA, set out the guiding principles for future planning and action to improve the whole of Scotland's school estate, with publication of the new school estate strategy - Building Better Schools: Investing in Our Future.
Ms Hyslop said: "This Government and local authorities are already on track to lift 100,000 school pupils, by 2011, out of tired and crumbling school buildings and classrooms and providing them with cutting-edge accommodation and facilities in which to continue their 21st century education.
"As a result of the £2 billion of capital funding for 2008-10 made available to local authorities, over 150 projects have been completed since May 2007 and we expect 250 by 2011. What's more, the pace of building has quickened with new and refurbished schools being delivered faster over this four year term than the last four year term."
In June Hyslop announced the new £1.25 billion school building programme which will, with £800 million of Scottish Government capital investment, deliver 55 new schools for Scotland.
The first secondary school should be completed by 2013 and the first primary school in 2011.
(GK/BMcC)
