Liberal Opposition pledge millions to growing Orchard Grove Primary in state election promise

THE OPPOSITION has promised to spend millions of dollars upgrading a Blackburn primary school if it wins the election.

The school predicts enrolment will quickly reach 900. Picture: Stuart Milligan

THE Opposition has promised to spend millions of dollars upgrading a Blackburn primary school if it wins the election.

Whitehorse Leader was given a tour of the school with Forest Hill state Liberal MP Neil Angus who said the Coalition would splash $2.3 million on urgently needed upgrades.

Five years ago, Orchard Grove Primary School had 400 students, this year it caters for almost 700 children, and the school predicts enrolment will quickly reach 900 students because of nearby housing developments.

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The school building was built in the 1970s and has not had any state-funded upgrades, while portable classrooms have been added around it.

The school has been running fundraisers to adapt its buildings to cater for its growth, including removing walls to turn cupboards into more office space.

The school predicts enrolment will quickly reach 900. Picture: Stuart Milligan

But when all 63 staff members gather for meetings, many have to sit on the floor to fit in the staffroom.

The school’s sickbay has just two beds, which are needed by the 20-30 students who feel unwell each day.

Once the beds are full, students sit on chairs along the corridor outside the office.

The school’s power is run by a diesel generator, which has to be turned off every night as the noise disturbs neighbours, since the school suffered frequent blackouts and loss of power before its installation last year.

Mr Angus said the upgrade can no longer wait.

He said he raised the issue with the Minister for Education multiple times, but had been ignored.

Orchard Grove Primary School students Jess, Leah, Declan, and Angus play on the oval.

Opposition Education spokesman Tim Smith said he was shocked a Victorian School had to rely on its own power generator.

“Orchard Grove Primary School has an outstanding reputation for quality education,” he said. “It isn’t fair the school community has such a poor state of staff facilities and student toilets.”

Parent and school council member Marika Jagow said the school didn’t have nearly enough toilets for student and staff.

In the brief space between classes the 53 female staff members have to make do using two staff toilets.

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Ms Jagow said the school had been pushing for funding at “every opportunity” long before she joined the council two years ago.

Minister for Education James Merlino said: “Local families should be extremely sceptical about any commitment from the Liberal Party given they slashed $1 billion out of our education system,”

“Labor has more than doubled school infrastructure investment across the Forest Hill electorate compared to the former government,” he said.