TWO East Durham schools look likely to be among the chosen few in the country to be included in a £10m Classroom of the Future pilot scheme.

One other County Durham school is also believed to have been selected for the pioneering project designed to boost facilities for science subjects.

Local Education Authority's (LEAs) throughout the country were invited to submit any local schools which they felt merited inclusion on the project, and it has now been announced that there are three likely candidates in County Durham.

Explaining Government thinking on the project, Schools Minister Jacqui Smith said: "As we enter the new millennium, it is time to challenge current thinking on educational building design.

"We need to look at new ways of helping children to achieve more through developing technologies and create learning environments that are truly stimulating."

She added: "Classroom of the Future will help to deliver this through the building and evaluation of cutting edge examples of the types of classrooms needed for the 21st Century."

John Cummings, MP for Easington, where it is believed two schools have already been earmarked for the venture welcomed the announcement.

"This is an exciting and worthwhile initiative. It will help to shape the development of the classroom of the future and will improve the delivery of education in East Durham as we move into the 21st Century."

Though the identity of the winning schools has not yet been revealed, Mr Cummings gave some clues.

"It is particularly pleasing that a large urban primary school and a secondary school in one of the two Education Action Zones in Seaham and Peterlee look set to benefit from these additional resources.

"These classrooms of the future will be invaluable in developing and understanding of technology and increase internet use for educational purposes."