The forerunner to yesterday’s announcement…Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy, with Yarrawonga P-12 School Council President Carolyn O’Dwyer and the Shadow Minister for Education David Hodgett on September 6.
Yarrawonga P-12 College will receive long overdue funding to complete Stage Two works, from the Liberal National Victorian Government should it win this November’s state government election.
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At the college on Tuesday, Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy alongside Nationals leader Peter Walsh, announced the funding that will help the college to expand and comfortably deal with the influx of new students moving into the region.
The funding also incorporates the construction of new facilities on the Gilmore Street campus, uniting the junior and senior students on the same site.
The masterplan for Stage two includes the construction of new classroom blocks for years 5-8 and 9-12.
It would also include the removal of old portables that are no longer required, and new spaces for metal and wood technology, the arts, a student workshop, and IT facilities, as well as new outdoor spaces for physical education.
Yesterday’s announcement follows the visit, on September 6, of the Shadow Minister for Education David Hodgetts with Mr McCurdy to the Yarrawonga P-12 College.
“Yarrawonga is the fastest growing town in regional Victoria, and it does not get the level of funding that it deserves,” Mr McCurdy said.
“This commitment is about the future of Yarrawonga by ensuring that students have access to modern learning facilities that are equipped to give them the skills they need for life.
“Stage 2 has been dragged out for far too long, and I am glad to be able to say that under a Nationals Government, there will be no more delays – we will get in and get the job done.
“This is about giving Yarrawonga students the best education by ensuring they get their fair share of funding.
Mr McCurdy and Nationals leader Peter Walsh look over plans for the stage two development on Tuesday.
“Regional Victoria has experienced a big influx from the city, with more and more families moving to towns like Yarrawonga,” Mr Walsh said.
“We need to ensure that the educational facilities are there to meet the demand, which is why we are funding the Stage 2 works and ensuring that Yarrawonga students have the facilities that they deserve.”
Mr Hodgett also emphasised on Yarrawonga’s growth and increasing population.
“The school needs upgraded facilities to keep up with the population growth in Yarrawonga,” he said.
“Tim McCurdy has been a strong advocate for education, and we are delighted to be able to invest in the school and to support the region in this way.”
Yarrawonga P-12 School Council is ecstatic to receive a commitment from the Coalition Party for the full $18 million needed to complete stage 2.
School council president Carolyn O’Dwyer said the funding will complete the relocation of the Yarrawonga College P-12 onto the one site on Gilmore Street and provide state of the art educational facilities for the students in our district.
“We are very grateful to Tim McCurdy for his long-standing support of this project and his commitment to public education in Yarrawonga,” she said.
“It was really rewarding to host Tim and Shadow Minister for Education David Hodgett last month, and to be able to highlight the need for new infrastructure at the school, but more importantly give them an understanding of our long-held vision for a 0–99-year education precinct in Yarrawonga that will incorporate facilities from preschool all the way though to Tafe and adult education.
“The current 9-12 campus was constructed in the 1950s, so how can students be expected to thrive in the 21st century in buildings designed to accommodate their grandparents’ generation?
“At Yarrawonga College P-12 we want to be able to enhance the educational programs by providing stimulating and functional facilities.
“Why shouldn’t our children have access to these types of school facilities just because they live in Regional Victoria?”
Mr McCurdy, Ms O'Dwyer and Mr Walsh discuss a joint construction of facilities.
Mrs O’Dwyer said the school council hopes any elected government would appreciate the importance of Yarrawonga P-12 College and support its long-running campaign to complete state 2 of the redevelopment.
“We are delighted to host Leader of the National Party Peter Walsh, and Tim McCurdy today (Tuesday) and cannot explain how exciting it is to hear the words endorsing their commitment to fully funding the completion of our school vision,” she said.
