May 14 – Government Rejects Opposition’s Education Claims

The Government says it has done more for education in three and a half years than the previous administration did in 16 years.

They said the Opposition is not able to fool anyone in Gibraltar in their attempt to defend their record in education.

A spokesperson for No 6 said: “The latest GSD press release talks of the ‘forgotten’ schools. They must, of course, be referring to those schools that they neglected in their 16 years in office.

“The GSD’s suggestion that they started the project for the two new schools at the old St Bernard’s Hospital site is pure invention. What they did was to turn a blind eye to the state of both St Bernard’s First School and Sacred Heart Middle School and completely abandon these two schools.

“It was this Government that invited proposals for the design and build of the two schools. It was this Government that chose the best design. It was this Government that committed funds to this project and commissioned contractors to build the schools. It is this Government that will deliver the two new schools by September of this year. All of this has happened within this term of office.

“The Government notes the tacit acceptance in the GSD press release that their “star project” in education, the building of a mega secondary school in the Rooke area, is being abandoned. This was always an ill-conceived idea which did not enjoy the support of any educationalist. The GSD have clearly realised the error of their ways and are now back-tracking.

“With no record to defend and having being forced to abandon their plans, the GSD’s policy on education is now in tatters.”

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