12 new schools for Melbourne’s super growth suburbs

A DOZEN schools will be built in Victoria’s growth areas — including Footscray, Point Cook, Craigieburn, Wyndham South and Clyde North — to cater for an explosion in student numbers.

A DOZEN new schools will be built in Victoria’s growth areas to cater for an explosion in student numbers.

More than $353 million will be set aside in next month’s Budget to build the new schools.

Eleven will open in 2020, including: primary schools in Clyde North, Wyndham South and Armstrong Creek; and secondary schools in Craigieburn South and Point Cook South.

A secondary campus at the Footscray Learning Precinct will open in 2021.

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Premier Daniel Andrews said Melbourne’s outer suburbs were growing rapidly, putting pressure on existing schools.

“If we are going to give every child every chance, we need to make sure we give parents the certainty and support that they are entitled to,” he said.

“Perhaps the best way to do that is to build new schools, to upgrade current schools, to keep investing from kinder all the way through to TAFE.”

Where do you think new schools are needed? Did they get it right? Picture: iStock

Some of the 12 new schools will be built on land the State Government bought and announced earlier this year.

Mr Andrews and Education Minister James Merlino made this morning’s announcement from Wilandra Rise Primary School in Clyde North.

It opened last year with 318 students, before enrollments jumped to 375 mid-year and more than 700 this year.

Mr Merlino said Victoria would have an extra 90,000 students by 2022.

Up to 60,000 of those students would attend public schools.

“If we don’t build new schools, our schools are going to be overrun,” Mr Merlino said.

The May 1 Budget will also include money to plan and start early works on another nine new schools.

More than $46 million will also be set aside for additional stages at seven other schools schedule to open next year.

These stages include new gyms and additional classrooms.

12 NEW SCHOOLS

Armstrong Creek West Primary School

Beveridge West Primary School

Botanic Ridge Primary School

Casey Fields Primary School

Clyde North East Primary School

Craigieburn South Primary School

Davis Creek Primary School

Footscray Learning Precinct - Seddon Secondary Campus

Keysborough South Primary School

Lucas Primary School

Point Cook South Senior Secondary School

Wyndham South (Riverwalk) Primary School

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