By NATALIE GALLENTI
THE loss of Mowbray College has been Catholic Regional College Sydenham’s gain.
Portables were frantically installed over the weekend in preparation of 166 former Mowbray College VCE students who were expected to start at the school yesterday.
The VCE students were left stranded after the major independent school announced a debt of more than $18 million and went into voluntary administration in May.
Nine teachers have also salvaged their careers, gaining employment at the neighbouring secondary school.
An additional 45 classes have been added to the school’s curriculum to cope with the influx.
However this still leaves the future of more than 1000 students and 200 teachers up in the air.
CRC Sydenham principal Brendan Watson said staff and students were looking forward to working with their new peers.
Mr Watson said that the college would host an assembly to welcome the group and the school would initiate a “buddy program”, with new students being paired with current students who will help them settle into their new school.
“We have very generous students who have a sense of justice and they felt compelled to do something about it,” Mr Watson said.
“It’s about two communities coming together and making one community.”
Mr Watson found positives in the Mowbray College closure, with the CRC leadership group to combine with former Mowbray leaders to form an even stronger collection of students, but he admitted the closure of any school in Melbourne’s West was alarming.
“The closure has put pressure on parents who now have a very limited choice on what school to send their children to. There is now extra pressure on schools.
“A strong education system leads to a strong community.”
At least 35 independent schools have offered to take on the students, including The Kilmore International School and Macedon Grammar, which also offer the International Baccalaureate.
Mowbray College staff will be eligible to claim outstanding entitlements through the General Employee Entitlements Redundancy Scheme, which aids employees when their employer is placed into liquidation.
Independent Education Union General secretary Debra James said this was an incredibly difficult time for staff at Mowbray College.
“These people have done nothing wrong, and yet their employment will be ended by the actions of an incompetent board,” Ms James said.
“The Independent Education Union will be doing everything it can to support the Mowbray College community through this difficult period. Hundreds of students have had their studies for the rest of the year placed under a cloud. Staff, students and parents will be rightly furious, and I share their anger.”
