Our kids need schools
In the growth regions of Melbourne, schools are well behind the population explosion. Many housing estates are being built decades before primary and secondary schools are in place, forcing kids into overcrowded schools and to travel long distances on already congested roads.
Residents in Point Cook, Seabrook and Altona Meadows can see some schools are bursting at the seams and the pressure this puts on local streets. Streets never designed for the school populations they have travel on them.
For many years I have called for more action.
Many of our kids are spending most of their day at school and travelling hours to get there. For many, being able to walk to your local school has become a luxury of the past. This affects the health and quality of life of us and our children.
The number of young people aged 0-18 years is forecast to increase significantly in the region. Many schools already have over a thousand students, some have over two thousand.
We need appropriate sports, science and arts resourcing for our schools, and better planning for school allocation.
These issues were recently highlighted by the Schools4Wyndham campaign.
As a slight refresher,
Construction of the following schools needs to be funded and commenced as soon as possible:
- a secondary school in Truganina is needed in 2018 and is overdue
- a primary school in Williams Landing is needed by 2019
- a primary school in Point Cook is needed by 2020
- a primary school in Tarneit is needed by 2020
- a primary school in Werribee’s west is needed by 2023
- a secondary school is needed in Tarneit by 2023.
- an additional primary school will be needed in Tarneit by 2023
These schools are on top of those announced in the 2018/2019 Victorian Budget.
Our community is already larger than Geelong’s and not enough schools are being built to meet demand. Many children are attending overcrowded campuses with 2000 or more students. Others face long commutes in heavy traffic to attend school in neighbouring municipalities.
Our population is continuing to rise and unless something is done, Wyndham’s families will continue to experience poorer-than-average school access.
It is not just me that thinks we need immediate action. Our kids need a place to run and play and participate in sport instead of the school grounds being littered with endless portable expansions.
There is also the need for better funding and access to Teacher’s Aides for kids on the autism spectrum. To help create an inclusive school environment and bring much needed classroom support.
Ask any teacher in today’s classrooms and they will probably tell you of students with needs who have just missed out in funding – a student that is in desperate need for help and cannot get it due to lack of resources.
Investment in our schools is an investment in our future. Our kids deserve the same opportunities as anyone else in the country. The overcrowding and under resourcing must come to an end.
