THE Minister for Education’s visit to Scoil Naomh Pádraig, Corracrin last week has been hailed as a ‘red letter day’ by the school’s principal following the announcement of a €1.4 million extension for the centre of learning.
Principal of the school, Mr Michael Boyce told the Monaghan Post that Minister Batt O’Keefe’s visit on Monday, September 29 was a day of special significance for the North Monaghan primary school.
He said the new extension, announced as part of a major school building programme nationwide, will mean that each teacher has a permanent classroom.
“We will have permanent classrooms for each teacher, with all children in single class units, and a state of the art GP room to cater for our large sporting population at the school, as a result of the extension,” said principal Boyce.
Work on the extension, which is to include two new classrooms, a General Purpose room, and refurbishment programme, is due to start early next year. Principal Boyce said it will provide a top class environment for all pupils to learn.
“With six of our current eight classes having interactive whiteboards, the extension will also allow for the completion of this programme, in order to ensure state of the art learning opportunities for all at Scoil Naomh Pádraig,” added principal Boyce.
Scoil Naomh Pádraig is the second-largest rural school in county Monaghan, with an enrolment of 212 pupils. The school was one of twenty-five projects nationwide announced under the building programme by the Minister on his visit to Monaghan.
Representatives of the Board of Management and Parents’ Association were present for the announcement, along with a small number of invited guests.
Presentations were made to Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fail TD, Margaret Conlon by Holly Boyce and to the Minister by Holly McKenna. A presentation was also made by the Board of Management and the Parents’ Association to Minister O’Keeffe to mark his historic visit.