By Laura Michell
Students at Edgars Creek Secondary College are being taught in an unfinished school, according to the school council.
Students moved into the new Epping North school at the start of term three, after spending the first two terms at Mernda Central College.
The state government fast-tracked construction of the school last year to satisfy demand for a secondary school in Epping North.
But interim school council president Melanie Taimani said students had been allowed into the school before it was finished, putting them at a disadvantage.
“Now that it has opened, it is not fully operational. [There is] inadequate temporary heating, no air-conditioning or shading for summer, [and] work on the interior and exterior is incomplete with cosmetic work still being undertaken,” she said.
“The oval will take a further six months at least to be completed. Two thirds of the staff car park has been converted into a basketball court and down-ball area.”
Ms Taimani said the school council had also been advised there was not enough funding to run IT programs at the school.
“Students are not being given the full educational programs which they should be entitled to receive,” she said.
There are 88 students enrolled at Edgars Creek Secondary College, with enrolments expected to rise to close to 300 students next year. By 2020, the school population is expected to double.
Ms Taimani said there was concerns that the May state budget did not include funding for future stages.
An education department spokeswoman said stage one of the school was complete.
“Heating for the main buildings will be installed this month. The department and the Victorian School Building Authority will initially provide the school with laptops and multipurpose devices to ensure students have access to the digital technologies they need for a great education,” she said.
