The South Australian Government has announced $6.34 million for capital works projects in the state’s Catholic schools as part of a $12.7 million boost for non-government schools. Source: The Southern Cross.
State Education Minister Blair Boyer announced the funding package last week at Our Lady of Grace School, Glengowrie, which will benefit from a $2.6m grant to cater for increasing enrolments.
The grant will go towards a new building with six classrooms and breakout spaces to cater for the school’s anticipated growth.
It follows the school’s purchase of adjoining land. Dominican School, Semaphore, will receive $2.3m to restore its heritage-listed convent building, creating a central administration hub.
The existing administration spaces will be refurbished to provide more classrooms to assist with enrolment growth. A new lift and platform will be installed to improve accessibility.
St Joseph’s School, Barmera, will use an $800,000 grant to create three new contemporary learning areas to replace transportable classrooms and St Thomas School, Goodwood, will receive $600,000 to enhance its outdoor play area and improve sports amenities.
Mr Boyer said all students had the right to reach their full potential, regardless of where they attend school.
He acknowledged that “a lot of the money that goes to non-government schools is recurrent funding that can’t be used for capital and that does put them in a difficult position in terms of their capacity to raise the money to build these classrooms … here at Our Lady of Grace”.
He said it was even harder in the current environment where it was “up to 40 per cent more expensive to do it”.
The Chair of the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools, John Neate, thanked the Government for its support and said the funding would ensure students had the “very best experience in their schooling”.
FULL STORY
Capital works boost for Catholic schools (By Jenny Brinkworth, The Southern Cross)
