Dandenong Primary School students are putting their newly repaired hall to good use.
They learnt about the importance of being sun smart at their first assembly inside the building this year, after fire tore through it on Sunday 3 January.
The deliberately lit blaze also damaged the Foster Street school’s kitchen and PE storage areas.
SunSmart ambassador and Premier Daniel Andrews’ wife, Catherine Andrews, joined Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams at the Monday 3 October assembly.
Ms Andrews spoke about the importance of being safe while staying active and playing outdoors.
“Staying SunSmart can save a life,” she said.
“Kids need to learn this from an early age – and the teachers at Dandenong Primary are making sure of it.”
Ms Williams said Australia had one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world.
“In Victoria, more than 40,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year,” she said.
Schools are required to use sun protection measures from September to the end of April to comply with SunSmart guidelines and ensure students and staff stay protected from UV.
SunSmart works with primary and secondary schools, early childhood centres, workplaces, health professionals, local government, sporting clubs and other organisations to promote a healthy approach to UV exposure.
