Tuesday, 11 July 2017
A MASSIVE upgrade program over the next 12 months will smash through school maintenance backlogs across the Northern Tablelands, with schools to share in more than $7 million in funds as part of the 2017/18 NSW Budget.
Local State MP Adam Marshall today announced that almost 60 public schools would see upgrades, with works ranging from improved air-conditioning and amenities through to fresh paint, carpets and signage.
“This funding is a huge shot in the arm for schools across the region and will help principals take back control of their maintenance,” Mr Marshall said.
“Each dollar will help make our local schools more efficient to run, more comfortable to learn and work in and improve amenities for students of all ages and abilities.
“This is more important than ever – with enrolments in the NSW public school sector projected to grow by 21 per cent by 2031.
“With population growth in the Northern Tablelands exceptionally promising compared to the rest of the state, this is an investment that will help students in future decades.”
Mr Marshall said schools had been prioritised according to the conditions of each campus.
“From big schools like Moree Secondary College, to much smaller facilities like Boomi Public, thousands of students will notice an improvement over the next year,” he said.
Mr Marshall said that the $7 million comes on top of a record spend in NSW schools.
“In addition to $747 million to address the state’s maintenance backlog, the NSW Government is putting $4.2 billion over four years into the development of new and upgraded public schools – a massive investment that goes unprecedented in the history of NSW,” he said.
“Public schools are overwhelmingly the most popular choice for quality education in NSW and that’s even more strongly represented in across the Northern Tablelands. Public schools provide an excellent standard of teaching; the NSW Government’s unprecedented funding will help the facilities keep up to scratch.”
Schools targeted for additional maintenance funding:
| Armidale City Public School | Inverell Public School |
| Ashford Central School | Kellys Plains Public School |
| Bald Blair Public School | Kentucky Public School |
| Barwon Learning Centre | Kingstown Public School |
| Ben Lomond Public School | Macintyre High School |
| Ben Venue Public School | Mallawa Public School |
| Bingara Central School | Martins Gully Public School |
| Black Mountain Public School | Moree East Public School |
| Boggabilla Central School | Moree Public School |
| Bonshaw Public School | Moree Secondary College Albert Street Campus |
| Boomi Public School | Moree Secondary College Carol Avenue Campus |
| Bullarah Public School | Mungindi Central School |
| Bundarra Central School | Newling Public School |
| Chandler Public School | North Star Public School |
| Croppa Creek Public School | Pallamallawa Public School |
| Deepwater Public School | Red Range Public School |
| Delungra Public School | Rocky River Public School |
| Drummond Memorial Public School | Ross Hill Public School |
| Ebor Public School | Sandon Public School |
| Emmaville Central School | Thalgarrah Environmental Education Centre |
| Garah Public School | Tingha Public School |
| Gilgai Public School | Toomelah Public School |
| Glen Innes High School | Tulloona Public School |
| Glen Innes Public School | Uralla Central School |
| Glen Innes West Infants School | Warialda High School |
| Gravesend Public School | Warialda Public School |
| Gum Flat Public School | Wytaliba Public School |
| Guyra Central School | Yetman Public School |
| Inverell High School |