Dozens of Catholic schools receive millions of dollars in funding for building upgrades

More than 60 low-fee Victorian Catholic primary and secondary schools will receive millions of dollars in funding to upgrade classrooms and build new facilities. See how much your school is getting.

St Mary MacKillop Catholic Primary School will be receiving a $2.4m cash boost for upgrades.

Dozens of low-fee Victorian Catholic schools will receive millions of dollars in funding by the state government to upgrade classrooms and build new facilities.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll visited Holy Eucharist Primary School on Monday to announce 67 projects at 65 Catholic schools across Victoria, which will share in more than $243m to expand and modernise existing facilities or build new schools.

Holy Eucharist Primary School in St Albans will receive $1.4m to refurbish their classrooms, bathrooms and breakout spaces – ensuring local kids are learning in the best possible facilities.

In regional Victoria, St Mary MacKillop College in Swan Hill will receive $6m to build a new secondary campus, while St Patrick’s Primary School in Kilmore will receive $3.6m to deliver four new classrooms – ensuring parents can send their children to this popular school.

Marymede Catholic College will also receive $6m to expand their Doreen campus and build eight general learning areas, a learning resource centre, an information technology centre, a careers and pathways centre and a student wellbeing and counselling centre.

These projects are being delivered through the Catholic stream of the Labor Government’s Building Fund for non-government Schools, which helps schools upgrade and expand their facilities, ensuring families have the best learning environments for their children.

More than one-third of Victorian students study at Catholic or independent schools.

Ms Allan said thousands of Victorian kids go to a low-fee Catholic school every day – and the state government was making sure they were learning in the best environments.

Mr Carroll said the state government was supporting its low-fee Catholic schools to expand, build new classrooms and open new campuses.

New Catholic schools will open by 2026, with others undergoing significant upgrades. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Holy Eucharist Primary School principal Michael Bonnici said he was “extremely grateful” to the state government for providing the funding boost.

“It’s wonderful news because this funding will assist us by upgrading the building in the junior school and it will also enhance student and staff wellbeing, which in turn help will help achieve student learning outcomes,” Mr Bonnici said.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) executive director Dr Edward Simons said: “We greatly appreciate the support of Victorian Government which will assist us to keep pace with growing community demand for Catholic education.”

“Our school communities save government tens of millions of dollars every year through their contributions to school fees and capital works, and the quality of our education offering is evident by the fact that more parents are choosing Catholic schools than ever before,” Dr Simons said.

St Albans state Labor MP Natalie Suleyman said Holy Eucharist Primary School was a fantastic and popular local school and this project would mean their teachers have the best facilities to give their students the best education.

Malcolm Elliott, the immediate past president of the Australian Primary Principals Association, said he welcomed the funding upgrades.

“School facilities need constant attention and new investment in infrastructure is always in-line with evolving building standards, particularly around the needs of children with disability or with additional needs,” he said.

The Herald Sun last year revealed seven new Catholic schools were set to open over the next three years in Victoria’s booming growth corridors.

In 2025, pupils will begin learning at Carlo Acutis Primary School, Wollert West, while Kolbe Catholic College, Mickleham Campus and three other schools in Mount Atkinson, Mount Duneed and Thornhill Park, will open in 2026.