Thursday, 23 February 2023

Yarra Road Primary School

David HODGETT (Croydon) (17:22): (65) I am pleased to follow the member for Pascoe Vale and to learn about all the funding for schools in his area, because I too have a matter for the Minister for Education, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit Yarra Road Primary School so that she can see for herself firsthand the need for funding to replace four portable classrooms which are in a desolate state.

Yarra Road Primary School is a valuable asset within my electorate of Croydon. The principal Ken Darby and assistant principal Meriden James, along with their team of hardworking and dedicated staff, work hard on behalf of their students and the greater school community advocating for ongoing improvements to the school. The current portables are no longer fit for purpose. Almost two years on since I first brought this to the minister’s attention, the roofs are still leaking, the windows still cannot stay open unless propped up with wood, they still contain asbestos and one of the portables has no access to running water, which significantly reduces operation of the classroom. With no access to running water, art and science classes cannot be conducted within these spaces. Students who are anaphylactic also cannot attend classes within these portables, as it is a requirement to wipe the desks down multiple times a day and this cannot be upheld without access to running water.

Whilst other, larger schools within the electorate receive substantial funding to upgrade their facilities and learning spaces, Yarra Road Primary School is continually overlooked, with only minimal funding allocated throughout the years. Just because the school’s enrolment is smaller in size does not take away the need for the funding and upgrades. Every student deserves the right to have access to appropriate learning spaces. How much longer must Yarra Road Primary School wait to receive funding for the vital replacement of these portables? I urge the Minister for Education to visit Yarra Road Primary School and provide the urgent funding so that these students can thrive in their education without the barrier of inadequate portable classrooms.