Premier

Geelong Schools First In Line For Digital Upgrades

21 August 2017

Schools across Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula will be first in Victoria to receive vital digital upgrades funded by the Andrews Labor Government.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 included $67.9 million for better IT support for schools and students across the state.

Minister for Education James Merlino today announced that 63 government schools across the region will be the first in Victoria to have new virtual conferencing systems installed as part of the Labor Government investment.

In addition, nine schools will have their internet bandwidth doubled as part of a $16.4 million state-wide investment announced to improve regional connectivity. The investment means all schools across Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula will have the same internet speeds as their metropolitan counterparts.

It will give students faster and more reliable access to online resources to support learning programs and an extended choice of subjects.

The latest Budget also provided more than $21 million to upgrade 15 schools across these communities.

The funding includes $2.84 million for Ashby Primary School, $2.41 million for Chilwell Primary School in Newtown, $3.22 million for Leopold Primary School and $653,000 for Ceres Primary School.

Over 40 school infrastructure projects have now been funded across the region, thanks to more than $100 million over the past three budgets to build and upgrade schools.

The new and upgraded facilities are part of the Government’s $2.5 billion investment in better classrooms, upgraded facilities and new schools across the state.

This school building boom has delivered more than 1,000 school upgrades and 56 new school projects across the state, supporting almost 5,000 construction jobs for Victorians.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino

“Kids in Geelong and the Surf Coast will be the first in Victoria to benefit from this huge investment, which will give students the skills they will need for the jobs of the future.”

“The upgrades will ensure local students get a first-rate digital education.”

Quote attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens

“We are already upgrading schools right across Geelong and now we are ensuring every school gets the technology upgrade they need.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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