Charlemont school marks 100th new build

THE newest school in Charlemont had some special guests on its first day last week, with its opening also marking a milestone for the Victorian government.

Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, and Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Ben Carroll, were at Yirrama Primary School on Wednesday last week to mark the fulfilment of Labor’s election commitment to build 100 schools in Victoria by 2026.

Yirrama Primary School, in Amber Avenue, takes its name (pronounced yi-rah-mah) from a Wadawurrung word meaning “in the morning”.

Allan and Carroll, alongside Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney and Labor candidate for South Barwon, Rebecca Thistleton, toured the school with principal Joel Riddle and met students settling into their first classes of the year.

“We said that we would build 100 brand new schools and have those 100 schools open by 2026, and we have achieved that with the final 19 opening up this week as part of the 2026 school year,” Allan said.

“This is what investing in great government schools looks like. This is what can be achieved when we invest in new school buildings and new school facilities.”

She said 50 per cent of all new schools built across Australia had been built in Victoria.

Riddle said he was a lucky recipient of the school construction push, and Yirrama Primary School was his second stint in a new school – he was previously principal at Lollypop Creek Primary School in Werribee.

“You only have to need to look around this educational precinct – classrooms that are purpose-built for education, the breakout spaces, to the wonderful specialist areas such as art, science and P.E – we are very fortunate.

“It was just wonderful this morning to see the kids come in there in their school uniforms and be in awe of what’s on offer for them.”