The modern Centro Escolar da Luz, inaugurated yesterday in that village, replaces the only two schools in the municipality of Lagos that still operated in two shifts, as well as increasing the number of classrooms for pre-school and primary schools and guaranteeing young students more conditions for them to learn.
The new school, whose work even finished ahead of schedule and within budget, cost 3,5 million euros, of which 1,4 million were financed by European funds from the ERDF.
At the inauguration ceremony, which took place outdoors, in the new covered playground, José Augusto Lopes, director of the Júlio Dantas School Group, to which this new School Center belongs, announced that, in the 2021/2022 school year starting in September , “two pre-school classrooms, four 1st cycle classes and a learning support center” will function.
"The double shifts are over, as well as the difficulties in accessing the cafeteria or facilities for the practice of physical activity", he stressed. With this, «equity is ensured for all students in the municipality and in the grouping», promoting «the school success of our children».
João Rosado dos Reis, president of the Luz Parish Council, pointed out that the new building will "close the gap that existed for decades" and "increase the public offer" of pre-school in the parish. He also praised the location, as the School Center has easy access to both the village of Luz and Espiche and Almádena.
Demographic data indicate that the parish of Luz badly needed a new school. José Apolinário, president of the Algarve's Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), recalled that provisional data from the 2021 Census, released a few days ago, indicate that the population of the municipality of Lagos grew by 7,9%, but that of the parish of Luz it increased even more (22,9%).
"More residents justify an even greater investment in school structures", stressed the president of CCDR Algarve.
Apolinário also praised the investment made in the "reinforcement of renewable energies", both with photovoltaic panels and with solar energy for domestic hot water.
For his part, Hugo Pereira, Mayor of Lagos, began by recalling that the Luz School Center project had been in existence for several years, but was “adapted” and “weighed down” so that it could finally be put into effect.
For the mayor, this work "is the demonstration that the local government is prepared to receive the competences" that the central state has begun to transfer, especially because, by "being closer to the population, it responds faster to their needs".
As for the population increase that his county had in the last decade, Hugo Pereira said that «the attractiveness of the territories is all the greater the greater the accessibility to public facilities and services».
In addition to the new Centro Escolar da Luz, the Câmara de Lagos also has other ongoing investments in the municipality's school park. The president of the municipality announced that the expansion of Escola das Naus is in public tender, while the same process will soon be advanced for Escola Tecnopolis. "We look at all that Education is a fundamental service of the municipality", concluded the mayor.
Centro Escolar da Luz, located at one of the entrances to the village and a short distance from Espiche, has eight classrooms spread over two floors, four of them for basic education, two for expressions and another for pre-school.
In addition, it has a library, kitchen, cafeteria, covered and uncovered playground, area for traditional games (such as the monkey), and educational time. It also has a roof covered with photovoltaic panels for the production of energy used at the school, as well as solar panels to heat sanitary water.
The two old schools – Luz and Espiche – will now be deactivated.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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