By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM needs 39 new schools to be built by 2031 if it is to keep up with the current population growth, the Mayor has revealed.
According to the council’s own projection figures, sourced from forecast.id, Wyndham’s population is expected to grow to 334,678 in the next 20 years, representing a boom of more than 150,000 residents.
Figures also obtained by Star show that in the last seven years alone the number of children in Wyndham’s schools has grown to 18,725 this year, an increase of more than 67 per cent on figures from 2005.
In the period between 31 June 2011 and 31 March 2012, 3389 births were recorded in Wyndham, which equates to an average of 65 babies born a week or nine born every day.
“When you look at those figures there are basically two-and-a-half classrooms worth of children being born every day in Wyndham,” Cr McAliney told Star.
“That isn’t even counting the number of people who already have children and move to Wyndham.”
Manor Lakes P-12 College has had the largest increase in student numbers, exploding from 428 students since opening in 2009 to 1445 this year, an increase of more than 88 per cent.
Cr McAliney said the combination of the figures showed that Wyndham was in desperate need for new schools.
“Based on the projections we are seeing, unless we start building now, I have no doubt we will have problems in the future,” she said.
“We are talking about a basic necessity that the government should be providing.
“This is a State Government responsibility and you’ve got to have schools for the kids otherwise you will have an uproar.”
Cr McAliney said her and her colleagues were regularly being contacted by concerned parents who did not know where their children would go to school in the future.
Werribee mother Mary Bull said she had already considered moving her children to a school outside of Wyndham.
“Classes are getting over-crowded as it is and you can definitely see it only getting worse,” Ms Bull told Star.
“My kids are almost in Year 9 and I think we might need to take them Geelong after that.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Education said more schools were planned in the area.
“The Victorian Government has plans for a number of schools and has been working with the City of Wyndham, Growth Areas Authority and developers to ensure land is set aside for education provision,” the spokesperson said.
“The Victorian Government announced $10 million for the first stage of the new Point Cook South East P-9 College in the 2011/12 State Budget, and $10 million for Tarneit Central P-9 College, as a part of a $97.3 million package for new schools in growth areas. These schools are planned to open in 2013.
“The Department will continue to monitor demographic and enrolment data in the Wyndham area.”
