Norwood Secondary College needs ‘substantial’ rebuild, prinicipal says
NORWOOD Secondary College turns 60 next year, but despite years of promises from state governments, its dilapated classrooms are still in need of a major overhaul.
Outer East
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NORWOOD Secondary College will turn 60 next year, but despite years of promises from successive state governments, its dilapated classrooms are still in need of a major overhaul.
Leader has been campaigning for year on behalf of the Ringwood school, which has not seen a major development to its classrooms since its library was built in the 1970s.
The school, which merged with Parkwood Secondary College at the end of 2012, still has no gym.
Norwood Secondary College fights for State Government cash for new gym
Buildings at Norwood Secondary College in Ringwood North miss out on capital works funding
Pleas for help have been repeatedly ignored in state budgets and school principal Andrew Sloane said a “substantial” rebuild was desperately needed.
In the lead-up to the 2014 state election, Labor pledged $4.5 million for a new sports stadium and performing arts centre at the school, which is only just being designed.
But no money was allocated for desperately needed classroom upgrades.
At the same time, the Coalition had pledged $7.5 million for a new centre for performing arts science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
In 2015, Mr Sloane told the Leader parents of prospective students had indicated they would take their children elsewhere if progress was not made soon.
School council president Cathie Wright told the paper in 2015 there was no space for students, and the buildings were “falling apart”.
Ringwood state Liberal MP Dee Ryall has now launched a petition, with the backing of the school, calling on the State Government to fix the dilapidated classrooms.
Ms Ryall said the facilities reminded her of classrooms she studied in 35 years ago.
“The school is clean and tidy, but it’s when you walk inside you realise it doesn’t stack up with modern learning spaces,” she said.
“There is no room to do experiments and it doesn’t provide for current learning methods.
“We need to bring it up to speed with the 21st century.”
Education Minister James Merlino did not respond to questions about classroom upgrades.
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