Students and staff at St Gerard’s School in Victoria will have full use of new general learning
areas thanks to funding from the Turnbull Government.
Minister Fifield officially opened the new facility in North Dandenong today on behalf of the
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham.
“It was great to visit St Gerard’s School and see the new facilities firsthand and the impact they
will have on students’ learning potential,” Minister Fifield said.
The Turnbull Government provided over $2.3 million in funding from the Capital Grants Program,
which provides funding for non-government schools to improve capital infrastructure where they
otherwise may not have access to sufficient capital resources.
Minister Fifield said students and the whole school community would benefit from these new
facilities.
“These new learning spaces take into account the latest in education research and will see students
learn more effectively.”
The Government’s school reforms will deliver real needs-based funding, so that students with the
same need within the same sector will attract the same support from the Commonwealth, and with
students who need the most support getting the most support, as quickly as possible.
Catholic systemic schools in Victoria will benefit from increased funding under these arrangements.
Funding for the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria is estimated to grow from $1.8 billion in
2017 to $1.9 billion in 2018, $2.2 billion in 2021 and $3.0 billion in 2027. This represents an
average per student increase of 3.9 per cent each year over the
next four years.
“We’re delivering the real Gonski needs-based funding that Labor distorted with 27 special
arrangements with states and territories and sectors.”
Minister Birmingham said the Government’s recurrent funding growth will be tied to a range of
evidence-based initiatives to support students by focussing on outcomes in literacy, numeracy and
STEM subjects, helping lift teacher quality and better preparing our children for life after
school.
“While buildings alone do not make a great school, I hope students and staff will enjoy learning
and be inspired by these new facilities,” Minister Birmingham said.
“The Australian Government is committed to improving the quality of our schools and equipping
students with the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive world.”
For more information on the Quality Schools reform package visit:
www.education.gov.au/qualityschool