Upgrading of 120 schools across the State

27/11/94

About 120 schools across the State are receiving new facilities or major improvements, as part of the Education Department's $68.2 million 1993-94 capital works program.

Education Minister Norman Moore said today nearly all the funds had now been allocated to specific projects with $36 million to be spent on new works and $33 million on finishing works in progress.

Mr Moore said a further $43 million would be needed in the next financial year to complete work which was now in the planning or preliminary building stages.

More than 60 metropolitan schools and 55 country schools were included in the major works program which was currently in progress.  Four new primary schools were due to open at the start of the 1995 school year at Merriwa and Kinross in the northern suburbs, and at Teranca and Halls Head in Mandurah.

The sites of additional new primary schools, to be built in time for the start of the 1996 year, would be announced soon.

"Most of this year's funding is targeted at our State's high growth areas in the northern and southern corridors of the Perth metropolitan area.  However, more than $26 million was earmarked for country areas," the Minister said.

"This money is being used to bring existing schools up to contemporary standards after the neglect of the previous administration, and to build new schools in areas which will be announced soon."

Schools in the State's North would receive $7.7 million in additions and upgrades, and major projects were also planned in the South-West, Mid-West, Great Southern and Central Wheatbelt regions.

More than $13 million was being spent in the Kwinana-Rockingham area, nearly $13 million in the Wanneroo-Joondalup region and $10 million in Mandurah.

Mr Moore said the showpiece of the planned works would be the $12 million state-of-the-art Warnbro Community High School.  Work was due to start on this project within a few weeks.  Community input had played a major part in planning for the school, and facilities were being designed to incorporate the technology of the future and to maximise joint school-community use.

The Minister said another new high school, built with similar facilities, was due to open in January. The $11.3 million Ballajura High School was the forerunner of this concept in WA and would meet the educational demands of students well into the 21st century.

Media contact: Ross Storey  321 1444    222 9595