Funding boost for new buildings

MARIST College will soon have a new arts and technology building.

The school received $2 million to go towards the new $7.3 million facility which will be built by the end of 2022.

State Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards said the project is part of round three of the non-government schools capital fund and it’s important all schools receive funding to keep up with increasing growth in the region.

“We want to make sure every school, no matter if its public, private or Catholic is getting the investment they need,” she said.

Principal of Marist College Darren McGregor said the school’s new $7.3 million arts and technology building will allow the college to increase enrolments to meet the demand of students in year 10 and 11 coming to the school.

“Another part we’re excited about is bringing industry in and working with our students to connect with the applied learning program,” he said.

“So having an industry person come in and live for a week and do their work in the technology centre and have our students work with them, watch them and be inspired by them.”

Mr McGregor said the building will ensure students have the best access possible to the creative side of education.

“The creative flare is always going to a part of our community and for young people to learn how to express themselves, how to create, how to wonder, all those things are important,” he said.

Year 9 student at Ruby Skinner said she is excited for the new building, which will be ready for use by the time she is in VCE.

“I’m really passionate about the arts and the technology part of my learning experience and I think this building will really help me with that, considering I don’t exactly know what I want to do when I’m older and this building will give me a lot of options,” she said.

“Having that creative side helps you focus more on what you want to do when you’re older and not focusing on the hard subjects like literacy and maths, it helps bring out someone’s personality.”

As part of the same fund, Victory Christian College in south-east Bendigo has also received $2.2 million for its $3.2 million project involving the construction of a new secondary school building.

The new building will include a science and technology labs, an art and design space, a food technology room, two large collaborative spaces and nine individual toilets.