Victorian Labor pledges 100 schools if re-elected

A re-elected Labor government will build 100 new schools in eight years, in an appeal to parents frustrated by crowded classrooms.

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews speaks with local children at the new Pakenham Primary School in Melbourne on Wednesday. Picture: AAP

A re-elected Labor government will build one hundred new schools in the next eight years, in an appeal to parents frustrated by crowded classrooms.

Premier Daniel Andrews spent the morning in Pakenham on Melbourne’s eastern fringe, where he announced an $850 million package building 45 schools in the next term, creating 2500 construction jobs.

The Premier also promised to kick off planning for a further 55 schools next term if elected, with enrolments opening within eight years.

Twenty-five of the first 45 will be built in the growth areas of Casey, Wyndham, Hume and Melton.

Mr Andrews said the “profound investment” would improve access to quality education for every child across the state.

“Every Victorian benefits whenever a young person is given the skills, the confidence that they need to play their part in our great state,” Mr Andrews said.

He ruled out new taxes to pay for the promise.

The Premier was joined by Education Minister James Merlino, as the pair also announced a new plan to build kindergartens inside or next to 28 primary schools.

“It’s about thinking for the long term,” Mr Merlino said of the plan which also promises to end “double drop offs” for parents with kids at primary school and kindergarten.

“We’ve opened 21 schools from zero in 2016,” he said.

“It’s dealing with population growth … we can map out and get a great sense of what will be the need in five years time, 10 years time,” he said.

The kindergarten pledge is part of Labor’s $5 billion plan to enable universal 3-year-old kindergarten access in Victoria.