Wednesday 13 November 2024

The Allan Labor Government is ensuring every Victorian student can learn in the best facilities – with independent schools to receive funding to upgrade classrooms and build new facilities.

Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes has announced Mansfield Autism Statewide Service (MASS) a recipient of the second round of funding for independent schools across Northern Victoria.

Thirteen schools across the state will share just over $40 million to expand and modernise existing facilities or build new schools from the Building Fund for Non-Government Schools.

Mansfield Autism Statewide Services has received just over $1.3 million to build a safe outdoor sensory area for its Specialist School campus.

Under the 2021-22 Capital Funding Program for Non-Government Schools MASS received $4.8 million to build the first stage of a new school campus to meet their growing enrolment demand. The facilities currently under construction will include five general learning area classrooms with separate amenities; vocational, life experience, therapy and training spaces with observations areas; and a break out space – all built with high resilience and low sensory design for autistic students.

These are just some of the projects being delivered through the Labor Government’s $450 million Building Fund for Non-Government Schools – which helps schools upgrade and expand their facilities, ensuring families have the best learning environments for their children.

Minister for Education Ben Carroll also opened Round 3 of the Building Fund for Non-Government Schools, with applications closing in February 2025.

Details of the grants program can be found at schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/building-fund-non-government-schools-independent.

Earlier this year, the Government announced $24.8 million to fund works at 11 independent schools.

Close to $17 billion has been invested to build new schools -delivering more than 2,200 school upgrades and supporting more than 26,000 jobs in construction and associated industries.

Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes

“I have worked very closely with MASS over the years and am delighted to see them get this funding which will ensure they can finish the next part of their build.”

Quote attributable to Simone Reeves CEO Mansfield Autism Statewide Services

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Allan Labor Government in helping us deliver our expansion of autism services on our new farm.”

“The independent schools building fund grant means we can now complete our new specialist school campus on the farm, with safe, integrated and sensory external areas.”

“I’d particularly like to thank Hon Jaclyn Symes for her ongoing interest and support as our vision of a Centre of Excellence Therapeutic Care Farm, driven by need and demand, has become reality.”