‘Strule Campus will have benefits far beyond education’

THE long-awaited commencement of construction work on the remaining five schools within the Strule Shared Education Campus is on the horizon, as contracts are poised to be signed in the coming weeks.

This ground-breaking scheme, arguably the largest capital investment in education in Northern Ireland, is anticipated to reach completion by 2027.

Education Minister, Paul Givan, and Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, recently announced a substantial funding injection of £140 million for the campus, reinstated from the Fresh Start Agreement.

This funding infusion represents a pivotal step forward for the Strule Campus, alleviating years of uncertainty surrounding its development.

Upon completion, Omagh CBS, Omagh High School, Loreto Grammar, Omagh Academy, and Sacred Heart College will all relocate to the state-of-the-art campus.

Michael Gormley, principal of Sacred Heart College, said that while education will be the key beneficiary of the new campus, its impact which be felt in ‘all aspects of local life’.

“All the necessary planning and permissions are in place, the designs are finalised, and I would be hopeful that the campus will be open in 2027 or 2028,” he said.

“This is a massive investment in the future of education. But the immediate investment in the locality will be contracts for local firms, who will then employ local people.”

The comprehensive facilities at the Strule Campus, including sports amenities and communal spaces, are envisaged to serve not only the constituent schools but also the wider community.

“That in itself will mean the campus will have a transformative impact on Omagh and beyond,” concluded Mr Gormley.