Infrastructure upgrades, expansions funded at 66 schools in next week’s state budget
The Premier has announced there will be funding in the state budget to upgrade schools across the state … but not everyone was excited by the news.
Education
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A total $20m in new funding will be included in next week’s state budget to upgrade and repair infrastructure at 66 schools and preschools across the state.
The investment will include facilities replacements and upgrades, removal of aged buildings, bitumen repairs, heating, ventilation and cooling upgrades, roof replacements, toilet upgrades and structural repairs.
The state government on Tuesday announced the $100.2m funding package.
It includes about $80m from within the Education Department’s existing investing and operating budget – $55m of which has been brought forward from future years so that work can begin sooner.
The money will also go towards increasing the size of some schools including at Plympton International College, where older buildings will be replaced with new multi-story buildings at a cost of $14m.
Virginia Primary School and Preschool will be expanded to accommodate expected population growth in the northern suburbs – and new gymnasiums will be built at Brahma Lodge Primary School, The Pines School, Ingle Farm East Primary School and Hillcrest Primary School.
The funding announcement coincided with the formal opening of Avenues College at Windsor Gardens.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said schools played an important role in communities, and it was important that students received the best education in modern and appropriate facilities.
“We also need to be planning ahead for capacity management and population growth and this investment will serve South Australia for future generations,” he said.
Education Minister Blair Boyer said it was critical that a 20-year capacity plan that looked at infrastructure, population and the size of schools was considered in the budget.
“Since becoming Education Minister, I quickly recognised that a number of our schools were languishing when it came to appropriate infrastructure, which is why I have already committed almost $14m to support capital works at seven schools as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Avenues College principal Hamish McDonald said the school’s history dates back to 1901. It amalgamated Windsor Gardens Secondary College, Gilles Plains Primary School and Gilles Plains Children’s Centre.
“Now that we have consolidated onto a single site, we are excited about the great potential ahead for our students’ learning and growth,” he said.
Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said Labor had a “track record of investing in political outcomes” and must provide an assurance that these investments were apolitical.
Education Department chief Martin Westwell said his department provided a list of priority capital projects, which were all accepted by the Minister “without adjustment”.
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