Mount Duneed needs a secondary school

I AM calling on state government to honour its promise to deliver a secondary school in Mount Duneed.

We need a skilled and educated workforce for our city’s future, and that means enough classrooms in our community for future generations to learn.

In November 2022, just before the last state election, then Premier Daniel Andrews and South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman promised $1 million towards planning for a secondary school in Mount Duneed.

In a Facebook post that month, Mr Cheeseman posted: “Only Labor will deliver a new Secondary School for Mount Duneed”.

Now, it’s the time state government to deliver on that promise.

The 2022-23 state budget committed to a feasibility study of a site on the corner of Sovereign Drive and Boundary Road.

The land was first slated for a secondary school in a 2012 structure plan.

More than 13 years later, the land remains vacant.

State government has set an ambitious housing target of 128,600 new homes in Geelong by 2051.

Growth areas like Armstrong Creek – which will one day be home to up to 65,000 people – will do much of the heavy lifting toward this target.

But for us to reach this goal, we need state government’s support to keep up with our residents’ expectations and needs.

Recently, Villawood Properties conducted a community survey of almost 580 residents in Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed, and more than 90 per cent wished to see a secondary school delivered as soon as possible.

Currently, the closest school to the proposed site, Grovedale College, is about a 45-minute walk away, cut off by the train line. Oberon High School is a one hour walk away with a highway crossing.

Many of the residents who moved here did so under the impression that a secondary college would be built for their children.

It is our job as a Council to advocate for our community, and we hear these residents’ concerns.

It was encouraging to see this important issue gain national attention recently, when it featured in a segment on prime-time television.

The program highlighted the plight of local parents who are banding together to urge state government to make good on its promise for a new school.

As Deakin Ward councillor, I was pleased to see Mayor Stretch Kontelj appearing on the segment to campaign on our community’s behalf.

Mayor Kontelj also wrote to the Minister for Education Ben Carroll, urging him to consider the needs of our rapidly expanding region.

I was extremely disappointed when the Department of Education responded stating it did not currently have plans to open the school.

It is vital that all levels of government work together, so our community can access the education it deserves.

The needs of families in our area are being recognised at other levels of schooling, with both the new Yiramma Primary School at Horseshoe Bend and Biyala Primary School set to open next year.

Unfortunately, the establishment of secondary schools has fallen behind.

State government wants our region to grow, but it needs to honour its promise for a secondary school for our developing community to thrive.

My fellow councillors and I will continue to advocate for the needs of our community to ensure all levels of government work together to make Geelong a great place to live and learn.

Cr Andrew Katos

Deakin Ward,

City of Greater Geelong