By Engelbert Schmidl
TARNEIT school toilets are flush with cash after the State Government announced funding for repair and upgrade works last week.
Woodville Primary School and Cambridge Primary School will each receive $80,000 as part of a $16 million package going to 724 Victorian government schools.
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College and The Grange P-12 College will also benefit from the announcement by the Education Minister John Lenders.
“These projects will make a big difference to the schools in Tarneit,” the State Member for Tarneit, Tim Pallas said.
“The Bracks Government is undertaking a capital works program in schools of unprecedented scope but ongoing maintenance to ensure the quality of existing facilities is equally important,” he said.
“Sensational news, we’re very happy. It’s come at a good time, we definitely needed it sooner than later,” Jason Smallwood, principal of Woodville Primary School, said.
Woodville Primary School received $80,000, with $60,000 going to toilet block repairs and maintenance and $20,000 to other works.
Mr Smallwood said he expected work on the toilet blocks to be completed by the end of term three, providing welcome relief to the 382 students at the school.
The principal of Cambridge Primary School, Craig Spry, also welcomed the fresh flow of funds to the school.
The school will receive $80,000 for vital upgrade and repairs to their 15-year-old toilet blocks.
The president of the Victorian Principals’ Association, Fred Ackerman, said it was a small step to fixing the problems facing Victorian schools.
He said $16million was not a large amount considering the State Government had failed to adequately fund school maintenance programs in the past.
Mr Lenders said: “This targeted funding comes in addition to the significant amount allocated to routine maintenance in this year’s budget for which all schools are eligible.
“School maintenance funding comes in addition to the Bracks Government’s $1.9 billion commitment to rebuild or modernise 500 government schools over the next four years and every Victorian government school over the next decade.”
