EDUCATION Minister James Merlino saw first hand how far $1.8 million in funding goes when he toured Mildura West Primary School on Thursday.
Together with Member for Mildura Ali Cupper and principal Anne Robinson, Mr Merlino walked through the school’s new learning hub with classrooms and a breakout space where students can take outdoor classes.
His visit came after Ms Cupper raised Mildura West’s plight in parliament when she pressed Mr Merlino on the government’s commitment to fund the school’s master plan upgrades.
“In 2009 a master plan was developed and the school jumped through several hoops to progress this work with the department,” Ms Cupper told parliament in September.
“The plan lapsed following a change of government and the blocks of land purchased for the new master plan are still sitting vacant.”
Mr Merlino saw those vacant lots, admitting that he could “see the potential in them”.
“When you think about Mildura West, there were projects that were designed a decade ago and under the former Liberal Government, those designs were grabbed and put into the bin,” he said.
“Coming here and seeing first hand the great teaching and learning that’s happening, the capital works that are happening but also looking at the potential and the needs of the school, I can picture in my mind, when we look at future funding down the track, where that investment would go.”
Mildura West is one of the largest state primary schools in the region with more than 390 students.
Mr Merlino also travelled to Irymple Secondary College on Thursday, where the opening of a $7 million upgrade was celebrated.
It includes a rebuild of the junior hub, administration area and technology buildings, as well as a new open plan learning space for senior students.
Mr Merlino said it was a “transformation of the entire school”.
“We know the most important thing that happens in a school is the quality of teaching and learning, it’s the students and it’s the teachers and support staff,” he said.
“But it’s modern design (and) flexible living spaces that makes a difference to their learning.”
