Page 493 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 March 2014
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Further enabling our economy is this government’s significant investment in education infrastructure. Investing in education infrastructure has a two-fold impact on the ACT economy. In the first instance it provides a direct boost to the building and construction industry in the short term, providing jobs direct on site and through the flow-on effects that accompany any large building project.
However, there is a much larger and longer-lasting economic impact of investing in education infrastructure—that is, delivery of a high-quality, high-achieving education system that ensures current and future generations of students can gain an understanding of the world and can obtain meaningful and dignified careers.
As I have said before in this place—and I will repeat it, because it remains true—it is the philosophy of the Labor Party that students should be given the tools to succeed no matter what their background is. This philosophy includes making sure that the built environment is not only fit for purpose but contributes to a culture of excellence in our education system, and that the learning spaces in the ACT should be equipped to provide students with learning opportunities for the 21st century.
I think we can all understand how the built form of a school or a CIT classroom can have an impact on learning, providing a welcoming environment that shows that there has been a deliberate plan and attention to detail that gives the students and teachers the space to engage in education, and also shows that education is a high priority and that it is valued by this government and by the community.
This is our philosophy and our commitment, and it is why I was so proud yesterday to announce $7 million to kick-start the construction of Coombs primary school. The Coombs primary school will be the first school in the new Molonglo valley development and will cater for 712 preschool and primary students when it opens in the 2016 school year. Coombs is another great example of this government’s commitment to providing greater education infrastructure and follows a long list of great infrastructure that this government has provided.
Indeed, as I said in an answer in this place last month, the ACT Labor government has invested $35 million in school infrastructure ahead of the 2014 school year. I refer to projects such as the new hospitality trade training facility at Erindale College, the new library and classroom at Malkara special needs school, car park extensions and traffic improvements at Weetangera and Curtin primary schools, and the new modular relocatable classrooms assembled at Duffy Primary School and which will also support growth in the Weston Creek and Molonglo area.
There are other larger projects as well, such as the $13 million upgrade to Taylor Primary School in my own electorate. I was there at the opening with Mr Gentleman. As I said in the Assembly earlier this year, we took the opportunity following the storm not just to restore Taylor but to provide significant upgrades to the facility and to provide new classrooms and expanded facilities.
Some of the features of the Taylor primary upgrades include relocation of the preschool into the main school and the expansion of child care on the site to ensure a better transition between child care, preschool and school, a new school hall with a portable stage, audiovisual equipment—
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