By CASEY NEILL
KEYSBOROUGH South school campaigners want a timeline for a new school in the state budget – not just a block of land.
Three Greater Dandenong schools have already received good news in sneak-peaks of the 2016-17 state budget which is to be delivered on Wednesday 27 April.
On Tuesday 19 April, Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams visited Wooranna Park Primary School in Dandenong North to announce a $350,000 School Pride grant.
Dandenong North’s Lyndale Secondary College and Dandenong West Primary School will be among 34 schools to share in $12 million for upgrades.
Lyndale will be able to start planning stage two of its modernisation and detailed planning work will be the first step towards future upgrades at Dandenong West.
Keysborough MP Martin Pakula told Parliament on Tuesday 12 April that population projections showed there would be a need for a primary school in Keysborough South.
“I have spoken regularly to the Minister for Education, advocating for land acquisition for a new school for that growing area,” he said.
Keysborough South Action Group spokeswoman Nina Kelly said she hoped Mr Pakula would announce a land purchase deal for a prep to year 12 school in the budget.
“We didn’t originally realise how needed a high school was,” she said.
“We’ve been told by DET (Department of Education and Training) that there’s enough room for a vertical P-12 on the (Homeleigh Road) animal shelter site, with the neighbouring private block.
“But what I want is the land and a date to commit to the opening.
“They could buy the land and sit on it for 10 years.
“They’ve been sitting on Coomoora empty since 2011.”
Ms Kelly said her eldest child was starting school next year and would have to attend a school outside the area.
“My second one doesn’t start school until 2019,” she said.
“He’s two. I want a school ready in time for him.”
Greater Dandenong Councillors agreed to advocate for a P-12 school in Keysborough South at their 11 April meeting.
