The Scottish Government is to invest in three schools in the Dumfries area.

Two of the schools will be new builds, while the third will be refurbished.

Some £21m will be invested in the projects, which will see Dalbeattie High School and Maxwelltown High School both being replaced by new buildings. St Joseph's College will be refurbished.

The work will be completed by 2018.

Education Secretary Angela Constance announced the investments as she visited St Michael's Primary School. She said. "Every local authority in Scotland has received funding to improve their school estate and I'm pleased that thousands of pupils in Dumfries and Galloway will benefit from the three projects to improve Dalbeattie High School, Maxwelltown High School and St Joseph's College.

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"The new facilities being built here will be fantastic environments for young people to learn in and will also provide amenities for the wider community to enjoy. I look forward to visiting the new schools when they're finished, the first of which will be opening to pupils next autumn.

"In addition to the educational benefits, the projects will also create construction jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Dumfries and Galloway."

(JP/MH)