Torrevieja is relying on more than 80 prefabricated classrooms to respond to rapid population growth and rising demand for school places. The town has added 10,000 residents in two years, while new schools have been opened before permanent buildings were available.

The Generalitat’s contracts for the temporary facilities have an average cost of more than €1.87 million a year, or over €5,100 a day. That figure covers installation, rental and eventual dismantling, but excludes the cost of preparing land, providing utility connections and carrying out other work paid for by Torrevieja council.

The modules currently house CEIP Maestro Ricardo Lafuente, CEIP number 15, CEIP number 16, IES Eras de la Sal number 6 and an extension of IES Mare Nostrum. Individual contracts include €2.21 million for CEIP number 16 over 36 months and around €2.04 million for IES Eras de la Sal number 6. The Mare Nostrum extension, with six classrooms, cost about €264,000.

The facilities cover more than 9,500 square metres and include classrooms, dining areas, libraries and administrative spaces. Although modern and climate-controlled, they cannot provide all the facilities of permanent schools, and their temporary status can continue for several academic years.