The Richmond School District is receiving $16.5 million in funding from the province to add more classrooms to Samuel Brighouse and William Cook elementary schools.
The funding is for 11 “pre-fabricated modular classrooms” — six at Brighouse and five at Cook — that will add 275 new student spaces at the two schools next school year.
Currently, Brighouse has four portable classrooms and Cook elementary has five.
Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh was joined by the Richmond Board of Education and Henry Yao, MLA for Richmond South Centre, at Samuel Brighouse elementary for the funding announcement on Monday morning.
“We are expanding schools to meet the demands of high student enrolment faster,” said Singh. The modular classrooms have a 30-to-50-year lifespan, she added.
Board chair Debbie Tablotney said the funding from the provincial government is helping the district take the necessary steps to address enrolment growth at schools in Richmond City Centre including at William Cook, Samuel Brighouse, R.C. Talmey and Tomsett elementary schools.
There were over 200 more students this year enrolled in Richmond schools compared to last year - a 12-per-cent increase.
Tablotney said the funding will help contribute to student success and well-being.
“Due to the ongoing building of new housing projects and residential towers, our schools will continue to experience pressure for more classroom space,” Tablotney said.
She added the school district is working with the Ministry of Education and local MLAs to expedite future capital projects such as a “long-awaited" elementary school in City Centre.
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