$100m plan to combine education campuses

A FOUR-year plan to rollout a new $100m kindergarten to Year 12 campus in Murwillumbah unveiled by the state government has attracted harsh opposition from community leaders.

The Murwillumbah Education Campus will bring together students from Murwillumbah Public School, Murwillumbah East Public School, Murwillumbah High School and Wollumbin High School at the Murwillumbah High School site, which will be completely redeveloped.

Federal member for Richmond Justine Elliot, Shadow Minister for the North Coast Adam Searle MLC, Lismore MP Janelle Saffin and deputy mayor Reece Byrnes have towed Labor Party lines in condemning the project, claiming loss of jobs and land sales will mean worse education outcomes.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said no permanent teaching jobs would be lost as a result of the transition and extensive community consultation would occur.

The new campus aims to open at the beginning of 2024 and enrolments are not yet open.

It is understood of the four current principal positions from the combining schools, the new campus will have a high school principal and a junior school principal.

Cr Reece Byrnes submitted a motion to the Tweed Shire Council yesterday to advocate for reversing the decision.

If passed, the motion will mean the council “condemns in the strongest terms” the decision to “close all four schools in Murwillumbah and force them into one location” and write to the state government to advocate for reversing the decision immediately.

Ms Mitchell said the decision had been made and while community consultation would take place, the decision to close and amalgamate the schools would not change.