It was one of the neediest schools in the municipality of Silves, but at the start of this new school year, the Alcantarilha Primary School will be presented as new. In fact, it really is new.
It's just that, as explained to the Sul Informação the vice-president of the Chamber and councillor responsible for Education, «during the works it was found that there were many structural problems and the old building, built in the 80s, was reduced to pillars. Everything here is new».
The EB1 School in Alcantarilha underwent renovation and expansion, with a global investment of 1,912 million euros, 80% of which was co-financed by European Funds managed in the region, within the scope of the regional programs CRESC Algarve 2020 (1st phase) and Algarve 2030 (2nd phase).
The works included the modernization and expansion of classrooms, improvements to the conditions of the spaces, in terms of functionality, environment, thermal and acoustic comfort, as well as sanitary facilities for students with reduced mobility, outdoor spaces (creation of covered space) and the expansion of new spaces – cafeteria, library, teachers' room, with the two floors of the school being expanded for this purpose.
On the ground floor, an area was created for the dining room, returning the multipurpose room to its original function, and the kitchen and service areas were remodeled and expanded.
The sanitary facilities were also remodeled, including a facility for users with reduced mobility.
On the upper floor, areas were created for the library, the teachers' room and the meeting room, and two support rooms were expanded for artistic expression activities or as laboratory rooms.
The outdoor areas were also reorganized, with the creation of an open-air amphitheatre, a storage room and a covered outdoor area connecting the school and the entrance to the school grounds, as well as a vegetable garden area.
After this intervention, the school equipment will have capacity for 100 students and better conditions for students, teachers and staff.
Carlos Silva, director of the Silves Sul School Group, which includes EB1 de Alcantarilha, was overjoyed: “I am really happy today”, he revealed. After thanking “this brand new school”, Carlos Silva recalled that it was “a dream of mine for a long time”.
José Pacheco, vice-president of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), the entity that manages European funds in the region, highlighted the “major investment that has been made in recent years in the regional school system”.
Admitting that the Alcantarilha school was “one of the most degraded in the municipality of Silves”, the person in charge made a point of highlighting that “the Algarve now has one of the best school parks in Portugal”.
But, he assured, "we are not satisfied yet, we will continue". And one of the investments still planned is a new extension of the Alcantarilha school, where two more classrooms will be created.
The mayor of Silves, who is a teacher, recalled that, “a few years ago, when I was a non-permanent councilor, what parents here asked for was improvements to the outdoor space, they didn’t even talk about the rest”.
But “this school was in need of renovation work”, added Rosa Palma, referring to the “long and difficult process”.
Luísa Conduto Luís, the vice-president of the municipality, explained to Sul Informação the genesis of the project, which was launched in the previous Council (with a PSD majority), as part of other investments in schools considered to be priorities. «In the 2007/2013 Operational Programme, it was the 1st priority, but the executive at the time did not take advantage of it, never launched the projects and applications, so the works did not move forward. As a result, in the following community framework, investments in Silves schools were no longer among the priorities. In other words, there was no longer money for these works».
«Initially, when this new executive [CDU] came in, our project was just to refurbish the existing building, plus a cafeteria, since the students ate in the sports hall» and the kitchen was little more than a corridor.
“But we had no money, there was no financing,” added Luísa Luís.
It was thanks to the insistence of Silves Council and the understanding of CCDR Algarve, even taking into account the reprogramming of funds after delays in projects from other local authorities, that the financing finally emerged.
And from simple refurbishment, it became an expansion, with two more rooms, a new kitchen, rooms for teachers, a library, quality outdoor spaces, among other investments, which were inaugurated on Tuesday.
“Before, when we took on this project, there were not enough students for the four classrooms in this school. Now, we have kept the four classrooms, but we have added two multipurpose rooms, which will have to serve temporarily”, while a third phase of this work does not allow for the construction of two more new classrooms, said the vice-president.
“As in the rest of the Algarve, here in the municipality of Silves the number of students has also increased”, he stressed, highlighting the importance of immigrant children in this increase.
Carla Fernandes, regional delegate for Education, recalled that the expansion of EB1 in Alcantarilha “responds to what is happening in the Algarve, which is that we have a growing number of students”.
The “very tough battle” that the expansion of this school represented for Silves Council is almost coming to an end, as recalled by Mayor Rosa Palma.
“It is a school that makes us all proud”, exclaimed the mayor, in front of the dozens of people who attended the inauguration, including parents, current and former students, teachers, current and former employees, and mayors.
To what Sul Informação found out, EB1 de Alcantarilha is the only new school to be opened in the entire Algarve, before the opening of the 2024/2025 school year.
Throughout 2025, the completion of other schools is expected, in several municipalities, but, for now, this is the only one to open its (new) doors.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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