State school

By Paul Dunlop
HOPE is building that new state schools are soon to be coming to Pakenham.
Hitting back at claims of a chronic shortage of state-funded schools in the fast growing community, Minister for Education and Training Lynne Kosky has indicated good news could be on the way.
Ms Kosky said in State Parliament recently that extra land had been bought in Pakenham to provide schooling facilities for the growing number of young families.
It is believed a site set aside for a school in the Heritage Springs estate is among the purchases with the possibility of another site elsewhere in the town.
Ms Kosky’s comments come in the face of criticism over the lack of schooling facilities.
Parents, Cardinia Shire Council and local MPs have been pushing for months to improve a situation that has been labelled one of the town’s biggest concerns.
Bass MP Ken Smith recently took the Minister to task, saying Pakenham’s two government-funded primary schools in Pakenham were 50 per cent over capacity.
Mr Smith said he had raised the need for a new primary school at Heritage Springs on several occasions.
“I understand the land was purchased last Friday and I trust the money for the school’s construction will be in this year’s budget,” Mr Smith said.
The push for new and improved schools is strongly supported by Cardinia Shire Council and residents.
It is hoped a school at Heritage Springs could open as early as 2008.
Mr Smith said a new school would be full almost immediately upon opening.
Ms Kosky said the State Government was well aware of the needs of schools and would continue to make sure there were schooling facilities for young families in Pakenham and district.
“There is a planning process going on to make sure that there are adequate schools for the students in that area,” Ms Kosky said.
Residents’ research has shown up to 500 young families living in newer areas of town could use a primary school at Heritage Springs.
There has not been a new state-funded school open in Pakenham for 10 years despite the town’s population doubling in that time.
The Bass MP said Pakenham Secondary College also had a very large number of students and a new secondary college was needed.
“Funding should be made available for either a senior campus on the current site as well as a junior campus, or a new secondary college for years seven to 12 on a separate site somewhere in the Cardinia Shire,” Mr Smith said.