$70 million for schools upgrade project

Victorian Schools are to receive an extra $70 million for maintenance work in the next stage of the Government’s pledge to provide $1 billion in school maintenance and capital works during its present term.

More than $56.6 million will go to 861 schools almost immediately, with a further $13.5 million available for schools currently finalising their maintenance needs.

The maintenance backlog in state schools has now been reduced from $670 million at the time of the change of Government in 1992 to $275 million last year, and is expected to be reduced to $190 million by the end of the 1998/99 financial year.

The allocation of funds was based on a statewide audit of schools as part of the Physical Resource Management System (PRMS). The system both catalogues and prioritises required maintenance projects and provides a transparent and accountable record to schools of their status in the priority list.

This most recent commitment is in addition to the $76 million for school capital works allocated in this year’s State Budget. A further $28 million per year is also provided for minor and emergency maintenance works through the School Global Budgets (SGBs)

(News Relase, Minister for Education, November 11, 1998)