By Cameron Weston
REPEATED delays in the proposed merger of two Altona schools has parents believing one school will close and they should enrol their children elsewhere.
New enrolments at Altona West Primary School were so far below the average this year, the school was now considering “losing a staff member at this stage”.
Altona West Primary was set to merge with Altona High School to form a new Prep to Year 9 facility, a plan that has been repeatedly delayed by the Department of Education after almost three years’ consideration.
Lynne Kosky, Member for Altona and Minister for Education, recently visited the school to reassure staff and parents the proposed merger was still on track, and would soon be officially announced.
“I want to reassure the community, the merger proposal is on track and still being actively considered and planned for,” Ms Kosky said.
“Local parents can be confident that government schools in the Altona region have a strong future.”
But public perception that the school would soon close was proving difficult to block and was becoming very damaging.
“No matter what we do to promote ourselves, and to say we’re not closing, we’re still struggling”, one insider said.
“The rumours are out there in the community. It’s really hurting the school.
“There is no building happening yet or even a sign, and people just don’t believe that we are still operating and working for the kids.”
The insider said the merger had not been officially signed off, although architects had been hired to draw-up plans for the new school.
Christine Tserotis, principal of Altona West Primary School, refused to comment on the merger or any possible hardship the delays had caused.
However, a statement attributed to Ms Tserotis on the school’s website confirmed that Ms Kosky had given assurances that the merger would go ahead.
The statement also raised concerns that the failed sale of the State Government’s stake in the Snowy Hydro Corporation, a major revenue stream in the last State Budget, could further delay the planned merger.
