Illawarra public schools are set to benefit from a 37 per cent increase in funding for capital works and maintenance.
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The region’s schools have been allocated record funding that will see primary and secondary schools share in $554 million in 2016-17. Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward said the capital works and school maintenance funding, announced in last month’s budget, would improve learning facilities for students.
In the electorate of Keira $5.9 million has been allocated for infrastructure including a COLA at Figtree Heights Public School, improvements to disabled access at Nareena Hills Public School and work at Keiraville Public School. In Wollongong $4.4 will be spent on improvements to disabled facilities at Illawarra Sports High, a science lab upgrade at Five Islands Secondary College and work at Mount St Thomas Public School.
More than $4 million will be invested in Shellharbour including installation disabled facilities at Dapto High School. While in Kiama $3.3 million will fund an upgrade to Albion Park High’s science labs, disabled access at Kiama and Bomaderry High Schools and a plant propagation shed at Berry Public School.
Mr Ward said $24.15 million of funding had also been allocated over two years for schools in the Illawarra and South Coast to address priority maintenance needs. He said under the Local Schools, Local Decisions reform principals had greater decision making responsibilities about maintenance spending.
“School principals will select high priority maintenance projects through the planned maintenance program,” he said.
The funding allocation comes after criticism by the opposition about the neglected state of many Illawarra schools.
In April Keira MP Ryan Park told the Mercury Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts (WHSPA) and Smiths Hill High School, were among the top 10 most neglected in NSW for maintenance, with eight of the region’s most needy schools, each having more than $1 million in outstanding work.
Breakdown
WOLLONGONG: More than $4.4 million investment in the electorate of Wollongong (with maintenance and capital works) including:
- Mount St Thomas Public School, construct retaining wall;
- Illawarra Sports High School, install lift and construct disabled toilet/shower/change room facility; and
- Five Islands Secondary College, science lab upgrade
KIAMA: More than $3.3 million investment in the Kiama electorate (with maintenance and capital works) including:
- Kiama High School, install disabled access ramp and path;
- Bomaderry High School, install disabled toilet/shower/change room by conversion and ramps;
- Berry Public School, installation of plant propagation shed; and
- Albion Park High School, science lab upgrade
KEIRA: More than $5.9 million investment in the electorate of Keira (with maintenance and capital works) including:
- Keiraville Public School, replace retaining wall;
- Figtree Heights Public School, construction of COLA; and
- Nareena Hills Public School, install disabled access ramp, widen and extend
SHELLHARBOUR: More than $4 million investment in the electorate of Shellharbour (with maintenance and capital works) including:
- Dapto High School, install ramps and platform lift
Please note, this is not a full list of schools that will receive funding.
