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Education | October 14, 2022

Replacement administrative block urgently needed for Minyip Primary School

Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of the Nationals Emma Kealy is demanding the Andrews Labor Government takes immediate action to replace the badly damaged and potentially unsafe administrative building at the Minyip Primary School.

Ms Kealy said the current administration building was irreparably damaged during a Victorian School Building Authority-managed building project over the summer holiday period.

“I have personally visited the school and seen the horrific internal damage that was done,” she said.

“It is absolutely astounding that the VSBA signed off on this building project, which has left the school with a building that is 40 centimetres higher than it previously was, requiring the school to build their own set of steps so they could enter the building.

“There are cracks in almost every wall, a section of ceiling is falling in and an internal window is about to pop inwards.

“It simply is not safe to be used and, even worse, kids can get under the building and easily access live cabling.”

Speaking in Parliament last week Ms Kealy asked the Minister for Education when a replacement portable building would be provided to the school so that the administration block can be made safe to support the students and the staff.

Ms Kealy also spoke directly to the Minister immediately following Parliament and suggested that a simple and rapid solution would be to relocate a portable school building to Minyip, possibly from the nearby Warracknabeal Education Precinct where major building works are in progress.

“It is simply unacceptable that students and staff are being required to work in these conditions and Labor must act immediately to address this significant safety issue,” she said.

The Minister has 30 days to respond to Ms Kealy’s question.