Funding on track for final secondary college upgrade

BEECHWORTH Secondary College (BSC) principal Patricia Broom is excited for works expected to commence in the near future for a new hospitality and classroom building with $6.4m State Government funding. The funding announced by Northern Victoria MP Jaclyn Symes at the school last year on state budget day will be the final stage for state of the art upgrades. Stage three works will include three or four new purpose-built classroom areas, welfare offices, hospitality area including a canteen for students and linking buildings to the music area. Works will also include upgrades to the school’s STEM building which will compliment upgrades recently completed at the school’s gym. Shadow Minister for Education, Jess Wilson last week indicated dozens of school upgrades had been stalled with Beechworth Secondary College on the list as well as 29 others remaining unfunded. "It is all but certain Labor has broken its promise to deliver these desperately needed projects by November 2026," she said. A state government spokesperson has advised school infrastructure projects were funded in stages. “Funding is often allocated across multiple budget cycles,” she said. “It is not uncommon for election commitments to be met in the later years of an electoral term. “School upgrade projects generally take 68 weeks to reach construction after funding approval. “The timeline spans multiple phases and activities, from planning and design through to tender and contract award." According to Ms Wilson, prior to the November 2022 state election, the state government promised $850 million to upgrade at least 89 schools across Victoria by November 2026. The Victorian government spokesperson said in the lead up to the 2022 election, the government committed to deliver funding to 96 school upgrade projects, including Beechworth Secondary College, with funding on track to be delivered by the end of 2026. The 2024/25 Victorian Budget delivered $1.9 billion for school infrastructure to build, expand and modernise schools across the state including $226.7 million to upgrade and modernise 25 government schools.

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