By CASEY NEILL
WHY continue with a merger?
That’s the question hanging over Chandler Park Primary School and the former Maralinga Primary School.
The Keysborough schools came together five years ago but are still operating from separate campuses and waiting for funding to accommodate all students at Chandler.
Principal Peter Paul spoke out in the Journal in May when the $5.7 million needed didn’t appear in the 2014-’15 State Budget, and last week met with education department representatives.
“They made the statement that there’s not a thing we can do to promote the cause any further,” he said.
“We just have to wait.
“If nothing is going to happen, and every promise offered is broken, why would you continue with a merger?
“Our merger was based on the fact that until the buildings were all finished, we’d run two sites.
“If we don’t have any timeframe then we’re not changing much.
“Let the two schools get on with it.
“Something’s got to happen. This is not going to continue the way it’s continued.”
The Labor party has committed $500,000 to planning works if it’s elected to government in November.
“We’re more interested in a finish of the project, not the start of the project, but we’ve got to start somewhere,” Mr Paul said.
“We just want movement. Movement in this area has been absolutely glacial.
“We’re forever hopeful but have been forever disappointed.
“This is not the proverbial elastic band. We’re not just going to be stretched and stretched and hoping something happens.
“The school board will have to make a decision.”
Lyndhurst MP Martin Pakula said the school had entered into a merger in good faith and the state government had left it in limbo.
“Further work at Chandler Park cannot proceed without detailed architectural work and that is what we are funding at this stage,” he said.
“But it’s clear that the merger works need to be completed as agreed, and that the value of the Maralinga Avenue site exceeds the cost of the remaining work.
“So finishing the job should be possible without any additional net cost to the budget.”
A spokeswoman for Education Minister Martin Dixon said the state government was “balancing the capital and maintenance needs of more than 1500 government schools across Victoria”.
