History
Technical education in Ireland has a history that stretches back over hundreds of years. The Dublin Philosophical Society was founded in 1683 followed by the Royal Dublin Society in 1731. These learned bodies sought to promote improvements in agricultural husbandry, manufacture and the useful arts and to promote the study of the sciences. These initiatives saw the development of a number of regional centres. These in turn paved the way for the popular Mechanics' Institutes one of which was subsequently located in Wexford town. During the nineteenth century official bodies such as the Commissioners for National Education (1831) and the Department of Science and Art (1851) extended state support to technical and manual instruction. In 1893 the Technical Education Association of Ireland was founded and it articulated the need for a national system of technical training. 1899 saw the passing of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act.
Some time after the enactment of the Vocational Education Act in 1930, a small experimental vocational school was established in rented accommodation in Bridgetown village. Enrolment crept up slowly and it was not until the 1960s that the need for a proper post-primary school in the area was fully accepted. So it was that on 18 October 1965, 44 students and five teachers moved from the rented accommodation into a new purpose-built school.
The numbers continued to increase and by 1976, when students sat for the Leaving Cert, for the first time, enrolment stood at 329. To cope with the increasing numbers, a new building was officially opened by the Minister for Education on 12 October 1984. With an annual turnover of some 120 students, Bridgetown Vocational College presently houses a community of 637 students, 48 teachers and ten ancillary staff.
A major building extension started in 2006 and was completed in Summer 2007. The extension has a floor area of 18002 metres and provides major additional facilities : eight general classrooms, a new Art Room, a Science Laboratory, a tiered demonstration room, a Technology Room, a Senior Engineering Room, a large general purpose and dining area, a new staff room, a new administration area and extra toilet and cloakroom facilities. Land has already been purchased which will shortly be developed into a playing pitch.
The extension to the gymnasium was completed on 2 March 2007 with the new building extension completed the following September.
Read more about this topic: Bridgetown Vocational College
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