- Published:
- Thursday 18 February 2016
The much-needed new school being delivered to the Pakenham community is a step closer today as Minister for Education James Merlino joined builders pouring its foundations.
Pakenham South West Primary School will open next year and is one of 15 new schools being built across Victoria’s fastest growing metropolitan and regional communities through the New Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project.
The new PPP schools will incorporate state-of-the-art facilities and designs and feature a range of exciting community spaces for local families and residents.
The new Pakenham South West Primary School will provide the community with a range of services:
- An on-site early learning centre providing integrated 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten and long day care services.
- A community hub in the school gymnasium, that can be used by the YMCA for a range of community programs outside of school hours.
- An expanded indoor gymnasium built to Netball Victoria standards.
- Two outdoor hardcourts.
- Additional conference and meeting rooms for local community use.
- An environmental education program, called ResourceSmart, delivered by CERES.
A community information session for the Pakenham South West School community will be held in the first half of this year, giving local families the chance to meet the principal, discuss enrolments, and learn about the new school’s design and community features.
Last year the Andrews Labor Government fast tracked and expanded the $291 million PPP schools project for the 15 new schools – which will be financed, designed, built and maintained for 25 years by the project partner Learning Communities Victoria.
The Labor Government is building the Education State and providing a great education for every child, from early childhood to school and beyond.
The 2015-16 State Budget invested almost $4 billion in Victoria’s education and skills system – the single biggest boost to education funding in Victoria’s history.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, James Merlino
“We’re getting on with building the Education State and ensuring every Victorian child gets the opportunity to succeed – at learning and at life.”
“To build a first class education system we need to start with investment in school infrastructure, and we have done that by delivering the new Pakenham South West Primary School.”
Nine new schools to open in 2017:
Casey Central East Primary School (Cranbourne North)
Cranbourne South West Primary School (Cranbourne West)
Heather Grove Primary School (Clyde North)
Epping North Primary School (Epping North)
Mernda Central Years P-6 (Mernda)
Mernda Central Years 7-12 (Mernda)
Mernda South Primary School (Mernda)
Pakenham South West Primary School (Pakenham)
Point Cook South P-9 School (Point Cook)
Six new schools to open in 2018:
Armstrong Creek Special School (Armstrong Creek)
Armstrong Creek Primary School (Armstrong Creek)
Bannockburn Years P-6 (Bannockburn)
Bannockburn Years 7-12 (Bannockburn)
North Geelong Special Developmental School (Hamlyn Heights)
Torquay North Primary School (Torquay North)