Prue Car
Deputy Premier of New South Wales
Minister for Education and Early Learning
Minister for Western Sydney
Steve Whan
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education
MEDIA RELEASE
$38 million for North and Mid North Coast summer holiday school maintenance and upgrades
Thursday, 30 January 2024
Around $38 million worth of school maintenance and upgrades works are in full swing at some 100 public schools across the North Coast and Mid North Coast, as the Minns Labor Government continues its summer holiday works blitz.
Tradies have been working over the summer break at public schools from Tweed Heads to Taree, to ensure classrooms, playgrounds and school facilities are repaired, repainted and refurbished.
The 150 individual school improvement projects are part of the Minns Labor Government's record $1.08 billion investment in school minor works this year, which includes $600 million to deliver essential school maintenance projects across NSW.
Works underway across the North and Mid North Coast include:
- $713,000 for internal painting and tiling repairs at Byron Bay High School
- $698,000 to replace air conditioning and roofs at Bellingen High School
- $303,000 for roof replacement at Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus
- $147,000 for toilet upgrades at Macksville High School
- $119,000 for toilet upgrades and external painting at Banora Point High School
As part of these works, the Minns Labor Government is also delivering $1.8 million in Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) upgrades for woodwork and metalwork equipment across the North and Mid North Coast. This includes upgrades underway at Bellingen High School, where Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car visited and met with the school community today.
Other schools receiving TAS upgrades include Dorrigo High School, Coffs Harbour High School, Nambucca Heads High School, Orara High School, South Grafton High School, Casino High School, Nimbin Central School, and Wingham High School.
We have made a record investment in school maintenance and minor works as part of our long-term plan to rebuild public education in NSW, after more than a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"High-quality public schools are vital to coastal and regional communities, so young families know their children can have the best start in life and can do so in their local area.
" We have made a significant investment in school maintenance, because these works keep our schools in the high-quality standard our families and young people expect.
"Improvements to our schools' Technological and Applied Studies facilities will also create options for young students to pursue pathways directly into apprenticeships and trades, creating more opportunities for our young people."
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:
"These $1.8 million upgrades to Technological and Applied Studies facilities are a game-changer for students, providing them with access to modern woodwork and metalwork equipment to develop hands-on skills that are essential for a career in the trades.
"Regional areas like the North and Mid North Coast are the heart of many critical trades, and by investing in state-of-the-art facilities, we're ensuring students can fain the practical experience needed to support local industries and build strong career pathways close to home.
"This investment is part of the Minns Labor Government's commitment to revitalising public education, especially in regional NSW, to ensure all students - no matter where they live - can benefit from high-quality training and education."
Councillor for City of Coffs Harbour Tony Judge said:
"It is fantastic to see the Minns Labor Government investing in public school infrastructure across the Mid North Coast, particularly in the Coffs Harbour area.
"Families and students in Coffs Harbour will know their schools are being maintained and kept up to the high quality they deserve because of the NSW Labor Government, who value our public education assets."
