The additional funding in the 2023/24 Budget brings the total ACT Government’s investment to more than $800 million over the next four years on new and upgraded public schools to meet the needs of our growing city.
This investment – the biggest in public education infrastructure in ACT Government history – includes funding for the building of a second college in Gungahlin, to be located in Nicholls.
The new college, planned to open before the end of the decade, will have an initial capacity of 800 students, with room to expand in future to 1,100 students if required.
It will feature state-of-the-art learning environments and have facilities for community use.
The second college for Gungahlin will meet the need to increase college places in Canberra’s north to match projected enrolment growth.
Funding is also included in the 2023/24 Budget to modernise Telopea Park High School, which will also increase the school’s permanent capacity by 500 places and cater to enrolment growth in the Inner South.
We will also fund roofing upgrades at Latham Primary, Gowrie Primary, Red Hill Primary and Telopea Park School, as well as infrastructure upgrades at Cranleigh School and Black Mountain School to ensure the continued delivery of high-quality specialist education services across the north of Canberra.
We’re also funding feasibility, planning and design work for a new college in the Molonglo Valley, as well as modernisation projects for Fraser Primary School, North Ainslie Primary School and Forrest Primary School.
The projects are in addition to the funding for infrastructure works already underway across ACT public schools, including the annual Public School Infrastructure Renewal Program projects announced last week. The ACT Government continues to deliver new schools, including the new high school in East Gungahlin (open 2024) and the new high school in North Gungahlin (open 2025). And this Budget provides additional funding to meet cost pressures impacting on construction projects already underway at Garran Primary School, the new primary school in Strathnairn and the new high school in North Gungahlin.
These initiatives contribute to the wellbeing domain of Education and life-long learning.
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr:
“The ACT Government has an ambitious agenda of investment in infrastructure and our public schools are a crucial part of this. This announcement represents the biggest package of public education infrastructure investments in the history of self-government.
“These projects will not only enhance the quality of our public school system across the city, they will also create jobs and economic activity for years to come.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education and Youth Affairs, Yvette Berry:
“As our city continues to grow, significant and sustained investment in new and upgraded education infrastructure is a priority for the ACT Government.”
“Our youngest Canberrans deserve the very best education facilities, this budget delivers that.”
“I know the new college in Gungahlin is being eagerly awaited by people in our city’s north, and I’m pleased we are moving ahead with what will be Canberra’s 10th public college.
“School communities all across Canberra will benefit from these announcements. As we celebrate 50 years of ACT public schools, we are continuing to build new schools and upgrade our existing ones to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
