The ALP has pledged to build a new high school in West Dapto if it is elected later this month.
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A Foley government would invest $44 million to build an "education precinct" in the sprawling suburb - an area dubbed one of the state's key growth suburbs - if elected on March 28.
Before and after-school care would be included.
Opposition education spokesman Ryan Park made the pledge alongside Shellharbour MP Anna Watson and Labor candidate for Kiama Glenn Kolomeitz on Friday.
"Between now and 2031, we are going to see around an extra 54,000 people call this home and 27,000 extra dwellings," Mr Park said.
"Dapto High School is a wonderful high school, but what we do know is at a point in time it will reach capacity.
"So over the next four years, an elected Foley Labor government will commence construction on a new high school out here that will service not only West Dapto, but the key growth suburbs of Calderwood and Marshall Mount."
Mr Park said potential sites for the school had been identified and Labor would work with Wollongong City Council, the education department and landowners to finalise a location.
The school was expected to be built in an open area around Bong Bong Road.
The money would come from the additional $1.3 billion Labor has promised to build and improve schools across NSW.
"It's part of $300 million that we've set aside to acquire land and it's a part of around 10 extra schools to be built as part of that funding," Mr Park said.
Ms Watson said the pledge was "a true commitment to how we feel about education".
"There's around 1100 students at Dapto High School; it is bursting at the seams [and] this high school is very much needed," she said.
Mr Kolomeitz said students in the northern part of the Kiama electorate, which now includes Marshall Mount, would also benefit.
"This new high school in West Dapto will cater to the growth in Marshall Mount and allow our primary school kids to transition into a state-of-the-art high school in their area," Mr Kolomeitz said.
Liberal Kiama MP Gareth Ward said he was happy to see schools go to the areas that require them, but Labor "can't be trusted on any of their promises".
"I don't suspect they have the money for this promise," Mr Ward said.
"They need to actually outline where the money is coming from in order to pay for these promises."
andrew.pearson@fairfaxmedia.com.au