14 May 2020
While students have been learning from home, the ACT Government has taken the opportunity to upgrade public schools across the Territory. Work has already begun on more than 80 projects worth $5.15 million as part of the ACT Government’s economic stimulus package.
The ACT Government has allocated $25 million to fast-track a range of infrastructure and maintenance projects to support local businesses and keep Canberrans employed.
For ACT public schools, this work has already begun and is being completed by local workers, using local suppliers. As the construction industry accounts for almost 6 per cent of the ACT’s workforce, ensuring we can continue to employ workers in the construction industry with projects like this will be hugely important for the Territory’s economic recovery.
Projects across our public schools focus on sustainability measures, creating modern learning spaces, and smaller works that will assist with school operations.
Some of these projects include:
- upgrade to the Duffy Primary School oval including an irrigation system and new turf
- a multi-sport and multipurpose play surface with cross and circuit fitness at the Woden School
- upgrades to classrooms at Florey Primary School
- upgrade of the garden area adjacent to the Basketball Court at Charnwood Dunlop Primary School
- a new fence for the preschool area at Gordon Primary School
- swipe cards at Black Mountain School to improve safety for students and staff
- a new coat of external paint at Gold Creek School
At Wanniassa Senior School campus, upgrades to the humanities and social science and English classrooms are underway to make them more energy efficient, comfortable, and better connected for technology-based learning. Classrooms will be upgraded, including new lighting and carpets, new furnishings and furniture, and a fresh coat of paint, and will be reconfigured to accommodate a new staff area.
Wanniassa Senior School campus will also receive a $2 million roof upgrade as part of the ongoing Roof Replacement Program.
This work is in addition to the infrastructure upgrades that were ready for Term 1 2020 which included adding three new classrooms, a quiet space, and staff room for Small Group programs (Learning Support), an additional office and a print-room for teachers. The school’s library has also been recently refurbishment as well as a newly established drop-in centre where students can have a free breakfast and lunch.
The ACT Government is committed to ensuring that every public school has the infrastructure to support high-quality education. This economic stimulus investment is in addition to the ACT Governments investment of $115 million to upgrade public schools across the Territory.
For more details about upgrades to ACT Public Schools, visit act.gov.au/fasttrack