Construction work on a new €8m girls' secondary school in Handaq, Qormi, has been completed, nine months after the prime minister laid the foundation stone.

The new school, planned to open in September, will accommodate 1,000 students in spacious, bright classrooms.

The school is being built alongside a boys' secondary school. Both form part of St Ignatius College.

The new school is spread over 20,000 square metres. It has 50 classrooms, four technology workshops, nine science labs, five computer labs, three arts classes and three labs for home economics as well as halls for drama, music, graphic communications, a library and career guidance.

Education Minister Dolores Cristina, who visited the building this morning, said the new school will also have extensive facilities for various sport disciplines. Old huts which were used by the old school are being converted for use in sports events during inclement weather.

The school will also feature solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels and intelligent lighting which will adjust itself according to the level of natural lighting.

There will be a car park for 90 vehicles.