THE state's new Education Minister James Merlino has a lot of work ahead of him, if you ask principals of Bendigo's schools.
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Ensuring the city's outer schools can cope with population growth, securing Gonski funding beyond 2018 and increasing school budgets were among the priorities of principals.
Huntly Primary School principal Craig Burnett said a plan was needed so schools in Maiden Gully, Strathfieldsaye, Marong and Huntly could handle increasing enrolments.
"We expect to have 400 kids in the next four years - double the current school population," he said.
"In all likelihood, enrolment next year will be 15 higher than predicted.
"We want to see long-term planning for what these schools will look like."
Mr Burnett said the previous Labor government had a "comprehensive literacy and numeracy plan" with teaching and learning coaching programs, an idea he would like to see re-engaged.
The Labor Party promised during the election campaign to rebuild Epsom Primary School, provide major capital upgrades at Bendigo Senior Secondary School and to form a plan to fix Kalianna School.
The party also promised to build a new technical school in Bendigo.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College principal Dale Pearce said school budgets were as tight as ever.
"At our level, budgets are getting tighter and tighter and tighter," he said.
"The concern for us is that, in real terms, funding is going backwards.
"If funding goes up three per cent, but salaries are going up four per cent, then it isn't really a funding increase."
Gonski funding, negotiated between the state and federal governments, would not extend beyond 2018.
Mr Pearce said he wanted to see further negotiations for funding certainty.
"There is also a promise of an audit trail of the Gonski money and where that went during the last term of government," he said.
"Schools certainly didn't see any of that funding.
"Unless there's a change of mind in Canberra, there's no commitment beyond four years."