$46m schools cash

By Casey Neill
More than 20 schools in the hills and surrounding suburbs last Tuesday (9 June) received grants in round two of the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program.
Boronia Heights Primary School was one of the biggest winners, handed $3 million to build a new library.
Principal Mark Flack said the school last month received $200,000 from the government’s National School Pride program.
“We used to be excited when we got $30,000,” he said.
“To get $3.2 million is a massive injection for our schools.”
Mr Flack said the school would convert its current library into an open learning space for its Grade 6 students and install state of the art interactive education tools in its new library.
“It’s going to be a fabulous opportunity for the school to get some fantastic up to date facilities,” he said.
Upwey South, The Patch, Montrose, Belgrave South and Ferntree Gully’s Wattle View primary schools each received $2.5 million for new libraries.
The government also announced $2 million library projects for Selby, The Basin, Upper Ferntree Gully, Mt Dandenong, Cockatoo, Ferntree Gully North and Boronia’s Yawarra primary schools and Mt Evelyn Special Developmental School.
The government allocated $3 million each to Ferntree Gully’s Kent Park Primary School and Billanook Primary School in Montrose to build multi-purpose halls.
Mount Evelyn Christian School will receive $2 million to build one. Mountain District Christian School will get $850,000 and St John the Baptist School in Ferntree Gully will pocket $2.5 million.
St Thomas More’s Primary School in Belgrave will build a $1.35 million multi-purpose hall and complete a $650,000 classroom upgrade.
Silvan, Upwey and Olinda primary schools will receive $850,000, $55,000 and $25,000 respectively to refurbish classrooms.
Cockatoo Montessori School received $250,000 for an early learning centre.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato said the improved facilities would make a ‘tremendous difference’.
“Not only to the learning environments, but also to entire schools communities,” she said.
Ms Lobato said the constructions would also create local jobs. She said building would get underway as soon as possible.
Foothills and Dandenong Ranges schools received $15 million in the Primary Schools for the 21st Century’s first round.
They also secured $2.7 million from the Nation School Pride program.
Both funding projects form part of the Federal Government’s $14.76 billion Building the Education Revolution stimulus package, a key element of its $42 billion Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan.