By BRIDGET COOK
CRANBOURNE Secondary College is angry it has been short-changed again in the Victorian State Budget.
The school has expressed its disappointment that no funding was allocated to the school for stage three of the modernisation project in this year’s budget.
The school required about $5-6 million for stage three, which would include a complete revamp of the science, technology and art area.
Principal Ken Robinson said the second stage was finished in 2010 and they had received no funding since to complete the final stage.
“It’s like having a half-finished house,” he said.
“When you refurbish a home, do you stop halfway, or try and get it to the completion stage?
“That hasn’t happened here and it’s really disappointing.”
Mr Robinson said they desperately hoped that the funding would be announced in the recent budget.
“I’ve got kids using a technology and science area that’s antiquated and out-dated and is 40-odd years old,” he said.
“When you look at the condition of the flooring and tiling, it’s pretty shocking.
“It’s in a state of disrepair.”
Mr Robinson said he wanted to the State Government to recognise the value the school had to the community by allocating them funding.
“We are a very important asset to the Cranbourne community and I’d like the government to recognise that by allowing us to complete this modernisation project,” he said.
“We have 1300 kids here and provide a diverse range of programs for them.”
Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews visited Cranbourne Secondary College on Tuesday with Cranbourne MP Jude Perera to meet with parents, students and the school community in relation to the Napthine Government’s failure to commit to the stage 3 modernisation project.
Mr Andrews said Cranbourne Secondary College was one of many examples of schools in Melbourne’s growth corridors that have again missed out on vital development funding.
“The last three budgets have contained no funding for the final stage of the project that will include the modernisation of the remaining poorly ventilated, damp classrooms with asbestos tiles and the much-needed upgrade of the school’s boiler-driven central heating system,” he said.
“Cranbourne Secondary College currently has more than 1300 students and is near capacity due to the rapid growth of the local area and increasing demand for local schools.
“Labor gainfully invested over $8 million with the modernisation of stages one and two,.”
Mr Perera said local families were also expecting the State Government to deliver funding for a proposed Cranbourne South West Primary School.
