Money for state school maintenance

THIRTY-one public schools across the Ballarat area will benefit from State government funding allocated to keep facilities appropriately maintained.

Sharing $3.6 million, the schools will receive this money over the coming weeks to ensure their site is safe, modern and well looked after.

The package allows for institutions to tick off essential maintenance of septic systems and water services, carry out painting, carpet and window replacement, landscaping and beyond.

Emergency and incident response have also been considered, with some schools like Little Bendigo Primary receiving funds especially for bushfire readiness.

High-tier beneficiaries include Ballarat Specialist School with $338,000, Phoenix P-12 College with $262,000, Mount Clear College with $237,000, Yuille Park Community College with $315,000, and Ballarat High School with $855,000.

BHS Principal, Gary Palmer said the financial announcement was “fantastic.

“It’s a big bucket of money where you can do a lot. This enables us to have a whole school plan, so we’ll start working on what that is with our architects as well. They’re the ideas people,” he said.

“A large focus will be the outdoor spaces for our students. Our Year 9 building needs more outdoor spaces, our PE teachers would like a better outdoor space, and this will enable us to do it up to a really good standard.

“Seats, fences and paths, and all of those sorts of things. A lot of outside work to complement the building works.”

BHS’s junior students suggested refreshing the courtyard, new downball courts, an undercover walkway for wet weather, and new outside drinking taps could be beneficial.

Parliamentary Secretary for Schools, Tim Richardson said the whole state project is “exciting.

“It’s another investment in our regional and rural students. This will benefit every single government school across the region. It’s the biggest ever maintenance package of funding we’ve ever seen,” he said.

“Consulting on the schools’ needs on the ground in their local community is so very important. We’re doing this blitz to make sure they’re supported with their needs now.

“These are important works to upgrade facilities, learning spaces and outdoor ground spaces that are so critical for students’ health and wellbeing,” he said.

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison is very proud of the record funding supporting schools of all sizes.

“It’s for smaller schools like Invermay, Dana Street, Macarthur Street… All of these schools, whether they’re big or small, they’re all going to benefit,” she said.

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