Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke joined Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell on a tour of Young’s St Mary’s Primary School today, looking at the results of a $675,000 upgrade to classrooms and the canteen.
Ms Cooke said she was proud to put education in the Cootamundra electorate on display.
“This $675,000 project at St Mary’s will deliver the excellent resources our wonderful teachers and students in the electorate deserve,” Ms Cooke said.
“Five classrooms for Years 1 and 2 have been refurbished to create additional learning spaces, while the school’s canteen has been upgraded to enable use in lessons.
“Everyone in the region knows times are tough for our community at the moment. That’s why it is absolutely crucial we continue to invest in our education system, not only to ensure our kids have access to the best possible resources, but also to provide them with normality and stability as the drought persists.”
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell inspected the new school today, and said she is thrilled students can officially start benefiting from the world-class facilities.
“Through the NSW Government’s Building Grants Assistance Scheme, St Mary’s in Young received more than $675,000 for a number of significant upgrades,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Investing in our regional kids is a core priority for the Liberals & Nationals, and I am proud that we are providing more pathways and opportunities for families and students in areas like Young and across the State.”
St Mary’s Primary School Principal Andrew Casey explained how the upgrades will lead to an improved learning environment.
“The classrooms will allow us to have a range of learning stations to cater to individuals and groups, which means we will be able to trial new strategies and engage students at a deeper level,” Mr Casey said.
“The funding is allowing us to improve the quality of the learning space for about 100 students, which is a good portion of our school. It’s really increased the standard of the buildings our students are learning in every day.
“It’s created a much more appealing environment for them to learn in.”
The NSW Government is investing more than ever before in education in NSW, including $500 million for capital works in Catholic and Independent schools, $6.7 billion for 190 new and upgraded schools across the State and $1.3 billion on school maintenance over five years.
