Funding for Bungaree, Lal Lal after school programs

THE Bungaree and Lal Lal primary schools will receive State Government funding to help pay for their Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) programs next year.

Member for Eureka Michaela Settle, who announced the funding, said 115 small and regional schools throughout Victoria would benefit from the package.

She said it would ensure children have access to quality care before and after school, and would give parents and carers greater flexibility to work, study or train.

“Outside school hours care makes a real difference for working families, especially in our smaller communities,” Ms Settle said.

“This funding will help Lal Lal and Bungaree primary schools continue offering the care and flexibility that local parents rely on.”

The latest funding follows the success of the Outside School Hours Care Establishment Grants Initiative, an $81.6 million program that ran from 2021 to 2024.

In December last year, the government made a further funding commitment of $14.674 million over four years up until 2028 to continue support for OSHC services at small and regional schools.

Each school will receive $30,000 to help pay for their OSHC activities.

Ms Settle said the latest commitment was for $3.14 million and builds on the government’s ongoing investment in regional education and family support.

Lal Lal Primary School’s program is known as LASK (Lal Lal After School Kids) and Bungaree’s as BungaBuddies.

BungaBuddies is also open to children from St Mary’s Primary School in Clarkes Hill.

Both programs are held from 3.30pm to 6pm Monday to Friday at the respective schools.

The funding news follows the Lal Lal school’s celebration of its 150th anniversary last weekend, which drew dozens of current and past pupils and their families.

Other schools in the Ballarat region to be funded include the Magpie, Warranheip, Rokewood and Cape Clear primary schools.