Tuesday 15 February 2011
VOL 9. No 7
www.surfcoasttimes.com.au
Surf Coast Times
FREE WEEEKLY
The waves weren’t big but conditions were still testing at the Victorian Masters Surf Lifesaving Championships in Lorne on Saturday. Fairhaven was just one of a host of local clubs who competed at the event, with the Torquay women’s crew winning the state title. See more PETER MARSHALL photos on page 116.
SCHOOL DELAY More than 40 Torquay students set to spend 12 months studying in makeshift classrooms
BY NATHAN HALE THE OPENING of Torquay’s new standalone secondary school looks certain to be delayed by 12 months. Continued delays with the purchase of suitable land, coupled with budget restraints held over from the previous government means the standalone school will not be ready until the start of 2013. Member for South Barwon, Andrew Katos, admitted yesterday there was a strong possibility up to 45 current Year 9 students will spend next year in makeshift classrooms. “There are 45 Year 9 students who will be going on to Year 10 next year, and if they all stay at the college we will be looking at moving them across to the standalone school,” Katos said. “If the school can’t be ready by the start of the 2012 school year, then the students will still be catered for in Torquay. “We are currently looking at what options would
be available should the standalone secondary college not be ready next year. “But whatever happens the students will be accommodated in Torquay.” Torquay College this year expanded to cater for Year 9, however, it will not grow any further at its current site. The Liberal-National State Government opted to build the standalone secondary school and use the current Grossmans Road site as a standalone primary school. The building of a standalone secondary school was a key commitment in the Coalition’s victory in South Barwon – breaking Labor’s 11-year rule under Michael Crutchfield. The delay will not be well accepted by parents of Torquay College pupils, who have continued to campaign for answers. Just last week a concerned parents group launched a Facebook campaign and within days had more than 250 supporters join.
Surf Forecast
The group has two main concerns, asking: • What is the government’s plan to deal with the current and future overcrowding of the current Torquay Primary School if the proposed Torquay North Primary School is not part of the government plan? • What is the government’s plan for the current secondary students at Torquay P-9 if the government fails to deliver on its proposed standalone secondary school ready for enrolments at the beginning of 2012? Katos’ above response to the second question won’t do anything to quell parents’ concerns, and he also said no budget commitment has been made to a standalone primary school. “Myself, the minister (for education) and the department are well aware of the need for a new primary school in the future,” Katos said. “The department is currently looking at this, but there is no commitment and no budget on the table at the moment.
“As I said, we are certainly well aware of it, but our first commitment is to a standalone secondary school, and then we will look at a primary school.” Katos also said the government’s hands are currently tied on budgetary matters. “We have no money available until July 1 as we are still on the previous government’s budget – and that’s right across the board,” he said. “The budget has been committed to certain programmes until July 1 – it’s just the way the system operates with the timing of the election in context with the budget. “This standalone secondary school policy has been on the table since 2006 from us… the previous state government was not concerned about Torquay secondary schooling at all.” Is it acceptable to have Year 10 students studying out of makeshift classrooms for 12 months? Let us know your thoughts by emailing Letters to the Editors – email editor@surfcoasttimes.com.au
WED 1-2ft+ fading E 27° THU 1-3ft building S/SW 26° FRI 1-3ft fair SE 22° SAT 2-3ft+ clean NE 29°
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