SchoolNEWS for west ruled out for now

Minister says no to petition

A NEW school in the southwest area of Toowoomba has been ruled out by the State Government.

In response to a petition for the new school in the Westbrook or Drayton areas Education Minister Grace Grace said the government would instead expand current schools.

“As identified by the petitioners, the two secondary schools that service the south and southwest of Toowoomba are Harristown State High School and Centenary Heights State High School,” Ms Grace said.

“Projections support the identification of growth in the area; however, the department is confident future in-catchment enrolment growth can be accommodated in the short to medium-term through expansion of existing sites.

“The department has committed to significant infrastructure spending (in) these schools... (this) is expected to accommodate in-catchment enrolment growth over the

‘‘ THERE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A SCHOOL THERE AT SOME POINT PAT WEIR

medium-term.”

Condamine MP Pat Weir, who launched the petition, said the government’s response was disappointing.

“We were hoping we’d get something in the budget, something just to do a business case or acquiring a block of land,” Mr Weir said.

“That’s what we’re after at this stage with all the development going to happen in that space.

“There is going to have to be a school there at some point in the future, we just need to acquire the land and do a business case to see where the best location for that would be.”

Mr Weir said expanding classrooms at the two existing schools would reduce outside areas and oval space for students.

“That’s not sustainable,” he said.

The petition was signed by about 1020 people.