The Establishment of the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools:
The Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools was set up by public deed on 10 May 2001 as a body corporate having a distinct legal personality and capable, subject to the provisions of its Statute, of entering into contracts, of employing personnel, of acquiring, holding and disposing of any kind of property for the purposes of its functions and operations, of suing and being sued, and of doing all such things and entering into such transactions as are incidental or conducive to the exercise or performance of its functions under the Statute. The Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation; however, it is authorised and entitled to carry out activities and undertakings on a commercial basis for the purpose of funding the implementation and furtherance of its aims and objectives.
The Objectives of the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools are:
- to develop and manage sustainable and economically viable alternative systems that finance and manage the construction, refurbishment, and maintenance of schools and their operation; and
- to ensure that its activities are consonant with the educational policies and strategies of the Ministry of Education.
The Implementation of the Mission of the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools:
The Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools collaborates closely with the Education Division in order to satisfy the Division's requirements as well as with other agencies in fulfilling its mission. The current policy and practice of consultation between the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools on development issues and Local Plans is essential if planning is to be meaningful and reliable. In the past, decisions were sometimes taken retroactively in that they followed movements of population from one area to another, especially where new communities grew within a relatively short time. The Foundation is striving to be as proactive as possible in the implementation of its mission and in reaching its objectives.
Projects Undertaken by The Foundation:
Since inception, the FTS has undertaken a vast array of projects in many primary and secondary state schools. Amongst the vast major projects undertaken by the FTS, one finds the conversion of Sir Adrian Dingli Girls' Junior Lyceum in Pembroke, into a tomorrow's school and the building of various New Boys Secondary Schools in Kirkop, Qormi and Cospicua.
The FTS, to date, has managed to deliver one new school per year in the past three years. Most significantly, St Benedicts' College at Kirkop - very much, the flagship of the FTS as a model of the schools to come, has been regarded as the standard upon which the Foundation has and is building other new schools. Other significant projects completed to date include the new extension at St Anne Primary School in Marsascala, the redevelopment of George Schinas Primary School in Luqa, the refurbishment of Adelaide Cini Girls' Secondary School, Hamrun, the new extension of Guze' Delia Primary School in Siggiewi, the completion of a new lecture block at the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School in Naxxar and the extension to the Mriehel Girls Secondary School.
The Foundation is currently carrying out a number of major projects, the most significant of which are the following:
- New Primary School, Pembroke;
- New Secondary School, Zokrija, Mosta; and
- New Secondary School, Gozo;
Other major ongoing projects include the Marsaxlokk Hall, St Benedict's Boys' Secondary School Hall, Siggiewi Hall, Mqabba Hall, Safi Hall, alteration and refurbishment works at the Boys' Secondary in Hamrun and the refurbishment of the Zabbar Primary School. The Foundation was also entrusted with the construction of the New Sports Complex in Kirkop, which it finalised within budget and within stipulated timeframes.
Other ongoing refurbishment works include paint and plastering works, changing of apertures and sanitary facilities as well as the rendering of various schools accessible to all.
