New sports facility to serve both school and community

Schools should become centres for education, sport and culture which are always full of activity that benefits the locality, Education Minister Louis Galea said yesterday.

A step forward was made yesterday when the ministry signed an agreement with the Kirkop United Football Club and Nursery on the joint administration of a sports facility near the Kirkop primary school after school hours.

The sports facility, including a five-a-side synthetic turf pitch and changing rooms equipped with showers and other sanitary facilities, was built next to the school's ground and is accessible both from the school as well as from outside, making it possible to be used after school hours.

Speaking during the inauguration of the facilities yesterday evening, Dr Galea said Kirkop was being turned into a centre for education, sport and culture in the area. The primary school, which was also modernised, is part of the St Benedict College.

Kirkop nursery president Edward Mizzi said today's children are lucky enough to be able to train and play on a number of good grounds around the islands. He said the new ground complemented the nine-a-side one within St Benedict College's secondary school, that was built recently.