Vital Algarve school renovations to be funded by PRR
Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) is funding major renovations at four Algarve schools to the tune of nearly €26 million.
The works will be carried out in Monchique (EB 2,3 Manuel do Nascimento; €8.1 million); Vila Real de Santo António (EB 2,3 D. José I; €5.1 million); Albufeira (EB 2,3 Ferreiras; €5.2 million); and Faro (EB 2,3 Dr. Neves Júnior; €7.5 million).
The contracts for the works were signed on Wednesday, May 29 in Monchique by the Minister of Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida.
Further contracts are due to be signed in the first half of June for school improvements in the Alentejo and North regions, involving investments of €450 million covered by the PRR.
The biggest challenge for all the planned works to move forward is the tight PRR deadline. As the Resident reported last week, Portugal is in a ‘race against time’ to meet the deadlines of the PRR.
“I hope there is the capacity in our country to carry out all the works by mid-2026, which is the deadline for completing the works under the PRR,” Manuel Castro Almeida said, cited by Lusa news agency.
According to the minister, the government is “working against the clock, with a lot of urgency, to sign contracts that will allow municipal presidents to open tenders so that construction works can begin this year”.
The minister urged mayors to employ “maximum diligence” to put the works out to tender. “This is a demanding effort from everyone,” he said.
Castro Almeida revealed that the government “has been pressuring” the presidents of the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR) to accelerate the assessment of applications, arguing just one day of delays can be the difference between carrying out the works or not.
“If the works are not completed by June 2026, the funding will be lost, and there should be no illusions because Europe will certainly not extend the deadlines,” he warned.
