Joint Statement - Delivering modern facilities to give Brighton students the very best start

Joint Statement – Delivering modern facilities to give Brighton students the very best start

Brad Rowswell, Shadow Minister for Education

James Newbury, Member for Brighton 

Under the Liberals and Nationals Excellence in Education Plan, students at Brighton Primary School will be able to learn and grow in modern classrooms.

A Liberals and Nationals Government will provide Brighton Primary School with funding to deliver a school masterplan and Stage 1 works which include new junior toilets, replacement of the school’s ageing demountable classrooms, and an upgrade to the library.

The current demountable buildings were installed next to a train line in the 1970’s. They are not compliant by educational standards and are well past their use-by date. For those students with hearing impairments attempting to learn, these classrooms are noisy and unsuitable learning environments.

A school masterplan, together with the commencement of urgent and necessary works, will give parents confidence that their children are safe and comfortable at school.

Families in Brighton deserve a government that listens and acts, not one that ignores them and takes them for granted.

Every Victorian student deserves the very best education, regardless of their postcode.

Shadow Minister for Education, Brad Rowswell, said this investment is an important recognition of the advocacy of the school community and long overdue after years of Labor neglect.

“Brighton Primary deserves to be recognised for the role it has played in teaching children since 1875, yet Labor has left its students in outdated demountables and ageing facilities for far too long,” Mr Rowswell said.

“Parents want to know their kids have proper toilets, safe classrooms and a library that supports their learning — and that’s exactly what our Excellence in Education Plan delivers. We will step up and deliver the masterplan and Stage 1 works this school desperately needs: new junior toilets, replacement demountables, and a modernised library.”

Member for Brighton, James Newbury, said the Brighton community strongly support the school upgrades, which are long overdue.

“The last time the school had meaningful infrastructure improvements was some fifty-five years ago when some considered flares fashionable,” Mr Newbury said.

“Labor has overlooked Brighton Primary School for far too long, treating our community with distain. Our commitment backs the teachers and students at the school to continue doing what they do best — for this generation of student and the next.”