Page 3042 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I again thank Ms Porter for her question and for her ongoing interest in public education in the ACT. Mr Speaker, can I say from the outset that the Stanhope government strongly believes in a vibrant, quality public education system and that we are committed to providing quality schools for all students in the ACT, no matter where they live. That is why the government is investing $350 million in upgrading existing schools and providing state-of-the-art new schools around our city. This is a significant investment in quality education and an investment in the future of Canberra.
I had the great pleasure at lunch time today to announce a $6 million investment in the new Melba-Copland secondary school, which will commence in 2008. This school will cater for about 1,000 students from years 7 to 12 and comes together as an amalgamation of Melba high school and Copland college across two campuses. The $6 million investment will see improvements to a variety of teaching facilities such as science labs, PE and sport facilities, administration areas, upgrade of student bathrooms and change room facilities, as well as a $1 million upgrade to the creative art centre on the Copland site.
Mr Stanhope: What did Mrs Dunne call this?
Ms MacDonald: “Good money after bad”.
MR BARR: Good money after bad, allegedly. These upgrades will ensure that students have the opportunity to learn in high-quality environments and that they are given the best opportunity to maximise their potential at these wonderful new facilities.
Over the October school holidays, a wide range of capital works were completed around a very wide number of ACT schools, and students returned from the school holidays in October to find a range of newly renovated facilities. For example, the students at the Black Mountain school returned to find a brand new home science and canteen area, enabling students at the Black Mountain school to participate in life skill classes, with fantastic new facilities. This work consisted of combining the space of two small classrooms and the installation of height adjustable cooktops and benches.
These upgrades are designed to provide maximum flexibility in the classroom and to improve accessibility for students with a disability. As part of the government’s commitment to the provision of quality facilities for students with a disability, works have also commenced on new classroom facilities for special need students at Melrose high school.
Canberrans continue to see the tangible outcomes from this government’s investment in public education. We are committed to improving facilities within schools but also are looking at the external appearance of our public schools. So we have undertaken a major landscaping program to improve the look and feel of our schools. Some examples of schools that have recently received upgrades are Dickson college, Curtin primary school, Duffy primary school, Stromlo high school, Melrose high school, Hughes primary sand Fraser primary school.
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