By Laura Michell
A decades-long community campaign for a secondary school in Greenvale has paid off, with the state government recently committing funding to build stage one of the school.
The state government will spend $438.6 million to build 10 new schools – including Greenvale Secondary College and Kalkallo Commons Primary School – as part of its plan to restart the Victorian economy after COVID-19.
The schools will open in 2022.
The Greenvale community has been campaigning for a local secondary school for more than 20 years, after being promised one would be built in the early 1990s.
In 2004, the state government tried to sell land set aside for the school but decided to retain the land following community protests.
Greenvale Residents Association secondary school subcommittee chairman Mark Busuttil said the community was “ecstatic” to hear funding had been secured for the first stage.
“This school has been a very long and pointed issue with residents,” he said.
“We don’t think kids should have to travel to other suburbs to go to school.
“A lot of residents, councillors and former councillors have fought to get this school up.”
Mr Busuttil said the community was now eager to find out which years levels the school will be open to in 2022 and which parts of Greenvale would be zoned to the new school.
Yuroke MP Ros Spence, who helped lobby for Greenvale Secondary College, said that once complete, the school would be able to accommodate 1100 students.
“We know how critical education will be to our state’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and that’s why we’re investing in the future of our students across early childhood, schools and TAFE,” she said.
“Whether it’s achieving excellence, building a world-class education system or creating opportunities for every Victorian, we’re making sure that every student can make the most of school and get the best start in life.”
The government has also pledged funding to upgrade nine schools across Melbourne including Meadows Primary School.
Broadmeadows MP Frank McGuire said the school would receive $5.86 million to help boost the school’s capacity by 200 students.
