Thursday, 20 June 2024

Southern Metropolitan Region

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:52): (960) (By leave) My question is to the Minister for Education, and it is regarding Brighton Secondary College, which has around a thousand students who come from local suburbs, including within the community of Bentleigh. I have been made aware that the school community has major concerns about the urgent need for upgraded facilities to ensure the best educational opportunities. My constituent Rebecca wrote to me as a very concerned parent who fears the lack of investment by the government continues to hamper the school’s ability to attract and retain students and teachers. In her email she said to me teaching staff are departing in droves and enrolments have fallen in recent years, and she is very concerned about the ongoing viability. She is considering moving her child to another school, and as she said, if it continues on this trajectory there will be no school to worry about. The school has a master plan with a vision for a bright future that also benefits the wider community. My question is: will the minister commit to funding Brighton Secondary’s master plan for the much-needed upgrades that the families, students and staff deserve?