MEMBER for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell is calling on the state government to significantly redevelop Kalianna School and Maiden Gully Primary School.
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The state government has put forward $1 million for a master plan at Kalianna – but Ms Lovell says the school could still be left “in limbo” if work is not taken past the planning stage.
The Liberal member planned to raise the issue of Maiden Gully Primary School’s facilities – especially its heavy reliance on portable classrooms – during a session of parliament on Wednesday.
“By 2016, the percentage of portable classrooms ... will blow out to 62 per cent,” she said, adding that the Education Department’s policy was to not exceed 20 per cent.
On November 12, Ms Lovell made a similar plea in parliament to Education Minister James Merlino to fully redevelop Kalianna – where, she said, 40-year-old buildings were “run down” and not suitable for the school’s 264 special needs students.
“Some classrooms are without basic requirements, such as appropriate lighting and air conditioning,” Ms Lovell said. “The toilet facilities are too small and do not meet modern disability standards.”
Ms Lovell’s push comes amid promises from the state government to “rebuild” Kalianna. In September, Labor pledged $1 million towards developing a “master plan” at the school.
State Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards said architects were already at work and her goal was a “brand new school”. “This is what people want,” she said. “I’m advocating for stage 1 funding in the May budget.”
Ms Edwards said Ms Lovell’s calls for action were “too little, too late” after the previous state government had “shelved” a master plan for Maiden Gully Primary that was now obsolete.
Mr Merlino has visited the school this year to hear the case for redevelopment.
The heavy use of portables was “limiting” when it came to delivering the curriculum, Maiden Gully acting principal John Brownstein said.
He hoped funding for a master plan would come in the next budget.