03 July 2009

Peter Garrett AM
Federal Member for Kingsford Smith
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts

Peter Garrett announced that Matraville Sports High School will receive funding under the Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools (SLC) element of the Building the Education Revolution (BER).

Mr Garrett said Matraville Sports High will receive $821,000 to build a language centre. SLC projects will provide schools with access to modern facilities with leading edge technologies in their own learning spaces.

“It is wonderful to see our local schools and our local community benefit from the Government’s huge investment in much needed new school buildings,” Mr Garrett said.

This element of BER will deliver much needed funding to secondary schools that have demonstrated their school’s disadvantage and need.

School principal, Mr David Hill, was pleased the school’s application was successful in the first stage of this competitive process.

“The establishment of a language centre with interactive technology will be an asset to the school’s curriculum program and an exciting learning facility for students,” Mr Hill said.

SLC is delivering an important phase of the Rudd Government’s $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution. The Rudd Government is undertaking the largest school modernisation program in Australia’s history to support local jobs, stimulate every local economy and invest in important long-term infrastructure.
 
“This announcement is another big step in delivering the Building the Education Revolution, a key element of the Government’s $42 billion Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.

“By investing in our local schools, the Rudd Government is helping to keep local contractors, tradies, truck drivers and small businesses working during these difficult days,” Mr Garrett said.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is working with education authorities in relation to a number of other applications from schools which are yet to be finalise the costings for their projects. A further announcement will be made when this process has been completed.

Applications for Round Three of Primary Schools for the 21st Century close on 10 July 2009, and will see all remaining eligible Australian schools receive funding.

Building the Education Revolution is a key element of the Rudd Government’s $42 billion Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan to support jobs, stimulate local economies and invest in important infrastructure for the long-term.

A full list of successful schools and their planned projects are available at www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au or www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au