Maintenance blitz for local schools

Students and teachers at a number of West Gippsland schools will benefit from funding allocations through the State Government’s latest maintenance blitz.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing announced schools across Baw Baw Shire were among 111 schools to share in the blitz – which includes painting, resurfacing and fixing roofs and windows, as part of the term three planned maintenance program.

Bona Vista Primary School will receive $50,000 in funding of which $45,000 will go towards high priority maintenance works on the school’s Shelter in Place building, and $5000 will be allocated to maintenance tasks to address the school’s roof issues.

Jindivick Primary School will receive $60,000 for high priority maintenance works on the school’s Shelter in Place building. The works will be delivered by the Victorian School Building Authority.

Rawson Primary School will receive $35,000, including $20,000 to address high priority maintenance tasks identified in the school’s Rolling Facilities Evaluation, and $15,000 for high priority maintenance tasks to address the school’s roof issues.

Warragul & District Specialist School will receive $10,000, including $5000 to address high priority maintenance tasks identified in the school’s Rolling Facilities Evaluation, and $5000 for high priority maintenance tasks to address the school’s roof issues.

The program will see the schools share in $11.24 million of funding for the works, which also includes replacing floors, works to grounds and classrooms and external landscaping works to pathways and lighting.

The funding also covers an ongoing program to inspect and repair or replace solar power systems across 737 school campuses.

In the past eight years, the Andrews Labor Government has invested $12.8 billion in building new schools and

more than 1850 school upgrades, creating around 17,400 jobs in construction and associated industries.

Ms Shing said the investment ensured schools across Gippsland were safe and comfortable, and that regional schools were getting the support they needed to provide the best possible settings for students to learn and thrive in.

Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said the government’s “record investment in school infrastructure is delivering high quality classrooms for our hard-working principals, teachers and staff, as well as students and families.”