Nathalia community to protest BER funding
July 20, 2010
This Wednesday, the Nathalia Primary School community will protest at the school, against the disastrous Building Education Revolution program which has been nothing but a shambles for the government run Nathalia Primary School.
Sharman Stone, Federal Member for Murray, said although the school had been given funding there had been a number of outrageous setbacks since the programs inception.
“The issues all began with the schools allocation of only $850,000 as opposed to $2 million allocated for schools with more than 150 students. Nathalia Primary has had a long history of enrolments above 150 students. At the time of the census, the school was only 3 students below, and has again increased above this number.
“Then to top this, the school has been lumped with a 3 classroom design to be tacked on to the end of a portable building. This building design couldn’t be further from their need for new toilets and an infant wing at the end of the school.
“Under state legislation the school council is responsible for their own buildings and grounds, but for some absurd reason the Rudd-Gillard Government has taken the project completely out of their hands, unlike their local private and catholic run school counterparts who have each had the opportunity to manage their own projects, and therefore have their works completed.
“The Coalition has announced its policy in relation to the billions of dollars still to be spent under the Building Education Revolution program. The Coalition will pay the funding directly to the schools to use exactly as they see fit and to ensure best value for money. This is the process the Coalition used when it funded the Investing In Our Schools Program.
“The Government is completely ignoring the needs of the school, and at the same time is eating away more than 40 percent of the funds on site management, project management and plan preparation. It is absurd.”
“I will join the students, parents and school community of the Nathalia Primary School to protest loudly against the unfairness and complete shamble and disruption the BER Program is having on the Nathalia Primary School on Wednesday.
“All those seeking a fairer go for local families are encouraged to attend,” Sharman Stone said.
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