Speaking to Lusa, Coruche Mayor Nuno Azevedo explained that the school, which opened in 1986 and was recently transferred to municipal jurisdiction, has never undergone a major renovation in nearly four decades.

“This facility has never undergone a major renovation throughout all these years,” the mayor stated, noting that only minor, targeted interventions had been carried out to address immediate issues.

The project entails remodelling the various buildings that make up the school complex, including four classroom blocks, the administrative block housing the school cluster’s headquarters, the library, the canteen, the dining hall, and the snack bar.

Work will also extend to the sports hall, with planned improvements to the spectator stands and changing rooms, as well as a reorganisation of support areas.

According to Nuno Azevedo, one of the goals is to improve accessibility, as there are currently level differences between the various blocks that hinder movement across the school grounds.

The project also includes installing climate control systems to improve thermal comfort during summer and winter, upgrading telecommunications, water supply, and electrical networks, and enhancing outdoor spaces.

Outdoor plans include preserving existing trees “whenever possible,” planting new trees, and creating an open-air amphitheatre designed to host educational and cultural activities outside the classroom.

“We want a more modern space—one that is more appealing and attractive to those who use it, whether they are students or the professionals working there,” he noted.

According to the mayor, the project is estimated to take 30 months and will be carried out in phases, allowing classes to continue while the work is underway.

To ensure the school continues to operate normally, alternative spaces will be created to temporarily accommodate students and teachers while renovations take place in the various building blocks.

The public tender for the project has a base value of approximately 5.2 million euros, though the final amount may vary depending on the bids submitted by contractors.

Nuno Azevedo also revealed that the municipality will install a video surveillance system at seven locations in the town, in the Santarém district, as a measure aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting the work of law enforcement agencies.

According to the mayor, the initiative is the result of a joint effort between the municipality and the National Republican Guard (GNR), which identified the priority locations for camera installation.

“The authorities know the area, understand the security issues, and identified these specific locations as priorities,” he said.

The mayor also emphasised that the project could be expanded in the future.

“It is not a closed process,” he stated, acknowledging that changes in behaviour or new operational needs might justify expanding the video surveillance network.

The Coruche Municipality will fully fund the installation of the system, although the total investment cost has not yet been determined.