Education Minister’s election promise for Carnegie Primary School

THE Liberals have announced $1.2 million to upgrade Carnegie Primary School if re-elected.

Yarra Hills Seconday College is having new buildings officially opened by Education Minister Martin Dixon today. Principal Darren Trippett unveils the official plaque with Minister Dixon. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

CARNEGIE Primary School has become a winner in the political battle for the marginal seat of Oakleigh.

Education Minister Martin Dixon has promised $1.2 million to upgrade the school if the Liberals are re-elected at the November 29 state election.

Mr Dixon headed to Truganini Rd this afternoon, October 29, where he said: “The Victorian Coalition Government is proud to be delivering 24 new schools and upgrades to hundreds of schools, like Carnegie Primary School.”

He said the funding would build on $70,000 in maintenance funds already delivered and the school would have “flexibility on how it used it”.

School administrators have not yet said how they would spend the money.

Carnegie Primary is a growing school with enrolments nudging just over 500 this year, in 20 classes.

It celebrated its 125 birthday last year when the community remembered its origins in 1888 at a different site — a church hall at the corner of Neerim and Toolambool roads.

The school is on the western fringe of a marginal ALP seat.

The ALP’s 5.1 per cent hold on it is one the Liberals and their two-time candidate Theo Zographos are keen to change.

Mr Zographos, a former Monash councillor, won 45.29 per cent of the two-party preferred vote at the 2010 state election.

Steve Dimopoulos is contesting the seat for the ALP in place of retiring MP Ann Barker.