Neerim primary school set to reopen for Term One after parents rally

When Neerim parents discovered their local school faced permanent closure, the community made a plan for it to reopen.

Thirteen students will revitalise Neerim District Rural Primary School when it opens for Term One, after it faced permanent closure five years ago.

It comes after former student Edward Yates, his partner Alana Auden and fellow parents campaigned to keep the school afloat with a petition reaching 128 signatures.

Alana Auden, Neerim Primary School, Nayook. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

They were set a task to ensure a minimum of 11 enrolments for the school to reopen.

“When we moved back we assumed the girls would go to NDRPS, which is where Ed had gone, and then we were shocked and dismayed it was being destaffed at the end of that year (2019),” Ms Auden said.

Mr Yates said the group took to doorknocking, social media, and noticeboards for the next few years, before the state government announced the school’s reopening last August.

“If we hadn’t done this, we would’ve lost it forever,” he said.

Narracan MP Wayne Farnham sponsored the community petition, and said regional schools had become “a bit problematic” to fill for two reasons.

“One is when people get old enough to move away,” he said.

“The other is a teacher shortage. It’s getting more difficult to get teachers out to smaller, rural schools and in Victoria we’re about 4000 teachers short, which is exacerbating the issue.

“The smaller schools are really important for student numbers because they get the overflow … [Parents] like the smaller community feel, and thankfully the education department did listen.”

A Victorian Government spokesperson said there were four staff to employ including the principal, classroom teacher, business manager and mental health practitioner.

They said works carried out to prepare the school including roof repairs, painting, new floors and emergency exit lighting, and playground equipment.

NDRPS received an additional $722,000 investment for it to reopen.

The school’s new principal Lisa Williamson said she hoped to build strong connections between the school, community and students.

“We will have the intimacy of small classrooms where we can cultivate a nurturing learning environment that fosters academic success and personal development,” she said.

Alana Auden, Neerim Primary School, Nayook, Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The school, which was formally considered non-operational, was the first of its kind on record to achieve reopening in Victoria.

“There will be people watching to see how the school goes, and maybe it will pave the way for more schools to reopen in the future,” Ms Auden said.