Government continues investment in new schools where they are needed most

The ACT Government is continuing its record investment in education, building new schools where they are needed most and supporting new schools opening in 2011 and 2012.

The 2010-11 Budget provides an extra $28.4 million to support new schools in Gungahlin and Tuggeranong, fund forward planning for additional new schools and upgrade existing schools.

The Government has invested more than half a billion dollars over the past six years to upgrade every public school and build new schools where they are needed most.

This Budget continues this investment with an additional $14.46 million over four years to support the running of the new Kambah P-10 school and Gungahlin College which will open in 2011, and the new Harrison High School which is due to open in 2012.

This investment will see 23 additional teachers employed and 2 administration staff provided for the schools, as well as school-based management funds allocated.

The Government was also continuing to plan for future growth in the city, with funding for the forward design of three new schools including:

• Bonner Primary School ($1.8 million);
• Franklin Early Childhood School ($1.4 million); and
• Molonglo Primary School ($1.950 million).

In addition, the Government will invest $2 million in an expanded gymnasium for the new Harrison High School, which will also be available for community use.

Gungahlin is a rapidly growing area of Canberra and it is essential the ACT Government continues to invest in high quality public education for families in the area.

We will continue to invest in quality community infrastructure to support our growing city and prepare for the future.

We have seen the success of our Early Childhood Schools, with large increases in enrolments in the five existing schools. We believe there is a need for a sixth P-2 school to be located in Franklin – providing access to state of the art early childhood education for children aged from birth to 8 years in the Gungahlin area.

It is also important that we plan for the population of our newest development of Molonglo. This Budget will see the forward design of a primary school for the suburbs of Coombs and Wright.

The Budget also provided $240,000 in funding through the TAMS budget for the design of a pedestrian link across Drakeford Drive to allow better pedestrian access to the new Kambah P‑10 school.

In addition, a $1.250 million traffic safety program will see a number of car parks at existing schools upgraded to ensure our children continue to arrive safely at school each morning.

$5.3 million will also be invested to extend and upgrade Red Hill Primary School to accommodate the growth in student demand and allow the French Australian Preschool to remain at its existing location.