Wednesday, 22 November, 2017

Students from across the Warragul region will soon be learning in six brand new classrooms, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Education James Merlino today visited Marist Sion College in Warragul to announce $2 million towards a new high quality, permanent building housing six classrooms, as well as additional learning spaces.

As part of the $3 million project, five ageing relocatable classrooms will be demolished to make way for the new building. Marist Sion College is contributing $1 million towards the project.

This is one of a number of construction projects underway at the school, which is also building a new $5 million learning centre comprised of 10 classrooms, food technology facilities and staff offices.

Marist-Sion College is a co-educational Catholic independent school founded in 1975 in Warragul and attracts students from as far afield as Morwell and Pakenham to the Neerim and Ellinbank districts.

It is one of the many Victorian schools benefiting from the Andrews Labor Government’s $120 million Capital Funding Program for Non-Government Schools.

The program has already seen more than 86 projects receive funding to build and upgrade Catholic and independent schools across the state.

Thirty-eight schools – including Marist-Sion College – are sharing in $49.5 million in funding to expand and upgrade through the fund’s latest round.

The fund is part of a $2.5 billion Labor Government investment over three years to build the Education State, giving every student access to a great local school with a great education.

Victoria’s 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:

“This brand new, state-of-the-art building is another example of how we’re making the investments we need to give every child – regardless of where they live, or the school they go to – the very best education.”

“We’re getting rid of these old, tired relocatable classrooms and replacing them with brand new classrooms with the very best facilities – because the students at Marist-Sion College deserve nothing less.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing:

“Every student in Victoria deserves access to a great local school, and here in Warragul we’re making sure that they do.”

We want every student in Victoria to have access to a great local school and that is why we are investing in government and non-government schools right across the state.”