New art academies and schools must offer more space

It concerns the first ‘Schools of Flanders’: a new school building program worth a total of 1 billion euros. “Investing in quality of education also means investing in extra bricks and school desks,” says Flemish Minister of Education Ben Weyts (N-VA). During this term of office, Flanders will invest 3 billion euros in school infrastructure: 500 million euros more than in the previous term of office.

co-invest

Investments are made in various ways, such as renovation of existing buildings, temporary renting of additional buildings and extension works. For the construction of brand new schools, the school gives its own interpretation to the plans. But is it a private partner that provides the financing, elaborates the wishes of the school and puts everything on the market? In this way the school boards are relieved as much as possible.

After the schools have been built, Flanders will financially support the school boards to pay a so-called availability fee to the private partner for a period of 30 years. After these 30 years, the school board becomes the final owner.

Any Flemish person who wishes to do so can become a shareholder in a school in their own neighbourhood. To protect savers, they will only be able to enter once the construction risk of the new building has been contained. “This will be a safe investment that pays off in more ways than one,” says Weyts.

Art education and boarding schools

In West Flanders, five projects receive financial support. It concerns two art academies in Poperinge, an art academy in Tielt, an art academy in Zwevegem, a primary school in Zonnebeke, and a secondary school and two boarding schools in Bruges.

In poperinge get the Municipal Academy for Music, Word and Dance and the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts a (re)construction. The art academy as well as a stage hall, an underground car park and above-ground car park will be tackled. This will add more than 4,500 m².

The Municipal Academy Music and Word in Tielt will gain 8000 m². The project includes the new construction and expansion of the academy. The intention is to centralize the facilities that are now located at different locations on the Tiltex site. On the one hand, there is the educational character. On the other hand, the academy also wants to take its public responsibility. Concerts and performances take place in the concert hall, theater or jazz studio.

The project includes a new construction project for the Art Academy in Zwevegem† The project site is located in the hamlet of Kappaert. A master plan will be drawn up with the aim of realizing a creative education and leisure campus. Several locations on the site are eligible for the realization of a new-build project for part-time art education. It concerns 3400 m².

Also the Primary school The Rainbow in Zwevegem includes a new building of +1667 m². The nursery section has become too small due to the increased number of students and the buildings of the lower section are outdated and no longer adapted to today’s educational standards. The construction project only concerns the new construction for the lower department. The existing buildings would be completely demolished. During the construction phase, the municipal council will set up a temporary school in the vicinity of the nursery section and the municipal meeting centre.

In Bruges gets Ter Green Gate and two boarding schools, a completely new building. As a result of this project, all functions of both the schools and the boarding facilities are housed in the same domain. Six old buildings and small pavilions will be demolished and brought together in a larger central building.