Millions in upgrades coming to mid-island schools this year SHARE ON: Photo of school desks (Sourced from Pexels.com) Better ventilation, electric buses and better energy efficiency are on the way for some school districts on Vancouver Island. The province is dishing out millions for upgrades at schools in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, the Cowichan Valley and Qualicum Beach. They are heading to a variety of projects through the School Enhancement Program (SEP), which helps out with repair and maintenance needs, or the Bus Acquisition Program (BUS), which helps replace old buses that have reached their limit. On the mid-island, the school districts included in the grants are: