When completed, the new secondary school at Cottonera being built by the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools will have three storeys and accept 1,000 students. Its facilities will include 45 classrooms, three staff rooms, eight science laboratories, seven technology laboratories, six computer laboratories, and special classes for drama, music, art and ceramics, environmental studies and home economics. It will be fully accessible to persons with a disability.
Education Minister Louis Galea visited the school yesterday, accompanied by FTS chairman Ray Fenech.
The school is being built on the historic site of the Verdala Junior Lyceum, in a setting of historic buildings, some of which will be restored to be included among the school’s facilities. Mr Fenech said FTS has started discussions with Heritage Malta and the Lands Departments to encourage restoration works in the area, so that students would grow up in a historic environment which would be educationally valuable to them.
According to Dr Galea, the school would be part of the Cottonera College which would include the primary schools of Senglea, Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Kalkara, Zabbar and Xghajra, the Lorenzo Gafa and Erin Serracino Inglott secondary schools and Verdala Junior Lyceum.
The new secondary school is the third being built by FTS, following St Benedict School in Kirkop and another in Qormi. Preparatory work is also being carried out for new secondary schools in Mosta and Gozo, and a primary school in Pembroke.
The site of the Cottonera school was at the time of the Great Siege of Malta a vantage point from where to look out for the Turkish invaders as they assaulted Forts St Michael and St Angelo.
The foundation stone of the Firenzuola fortifications was laid in 1638, later to become known as the fortifications of Sta Margerita. Verdala Gate lies exactly opposite the school’s entrance.
In 1853, the British built Verdala Barracks beyond the gate, followed eventually by fortifications on which the school is being built.
In 1924, the barracks started being used as a primary school, and then as a training centre for dockyard workers. In 1948, the building was converted into a school for the children of British staff members and in 1972, it became the International School of Malta, offering education to children of people working in the oil industry.
In 1984, it became a secondary school and a year later started being used as the junior lyceum named after Guzeppi Despott (1878-1936).