The Northern Ireland Executive has pledged to provide £150m of earmarked additional funding over the next three years to deliver the Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh.

First Minister, Michelle O’Neill; deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly; and Education Minister, Paul Givan, held a virtual meeting with the six school principals to confirm the Executive’s funding announcement for the development.

The Strule Campus is a pioneering project that will provide a state-of-the-art shared centre of learning, bringing together six schools from across the community and incorporating grammar, non-selective, and special school provision.

Once completed, over 4,000 children and young people from all backgrounds will come together on a vibrant and dynamic campus and the schools will work together to provide a shared curriculum and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Commenting on the decision, O’Neill said: “I am delighted that the Executive has pledged this funding to deliver the Strule Campus.

Ministers held a virtual meeting with six school principals to confirm the Executive’s funding announcement for the development

“We have shown our commitment to this iconic and unique shared education campus, which has been long awaited for by the entire Omagh community.

“This represents significant investment in shared education and Strule has the potential to become an education campus of international renown.

“It will be a flagship for the shared society we all want for our children’s future.”

Little-Pengelly added: “This is a hugely-significant moment for the Strule Shared Education Campus.

“The Executive has delivered on its promise and shown clearly that we are committed to our young people’s futures.

“Shared education plays a key role in developing a peaceful and shared society, giving children and young people from different backgrounds the opportunity to learn together in an environment which encourages respect for all.

“Strule Campus is a vital component in the Executive’s vision of delivering a better, more-peaceful, and prosperous society for all.”

It is anticipated that the main works contract for the Strule Campus will be awarded in early summer, with construction commencing on site later this year.

Givan said: “The Strule Campus will be the largest education construction project ever delivered.

“It is a new and pioneering approach to the delivery of education provision in Northern Ireland.

“The campus will provide a potential large-scale model of shared education, which will inform the future development of education in Northern Ireland over the coming decades.

“And it will produce a wide range of educational, societal, and reconciliation benefits and is a key element of the Department of Education’s promotion and development of shared education.”