The secondary school of Santa Lucija within Saint Thomas More College now has a theatre hall together with sports facilities for the benefit of students, educators and the community.

Completed with an investment of €4.6 million, these facilities were inaugurated on the international day dedicated to teachers by the Minister for Education Clifton Grima.

Despite being built in the 1990s, the school was never equipped with a hall or sports facilities and therefore students and educators had to use halls outside the school.

"This is another direct investment for the benefit of educators and students, through which there will be an appropriate and modern educational environment," Minister Grima said.

Grima said that the country recognises the invaluable role of educators in the education sector and is therefore ensuring that they have the best environment at their workplace.

The hall which has a capacity of around 450 people sitting can be used as a theatre and for various other activities. A sports complex was also built next to the hall which can be used for basketball, futsal, badminton and volleyball.

Apart from this, a roof garden was also developed on top of these facilities, for the benefit of educators and students alike.

Commenting on this, the education minister said that part of the government’s vision is to “take care of the welfare of the educator and the student even in the educational environment”.

These two projects will eventually also be open to the community outside of school time, through separate entrances.

The work on the theatre hall and sports facilities was carried out by the Foundation for the Schools of tomorrow. On his part, its Chairman, Cory Greenland, explained the technical work done on the facilities and said, "with the work that the foundation is doing, we are making a leap forward in the educational infrastructure for the benefit of educators and students".

Officials of the ministry, the principal of the college, the head of the school and Santa Lucija mayor Charmaine St John, were also present for the inauguration.