Craig Ingram MP - Independent Member for Gippsland East

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, says the future of education provision in East Gippsland has been given a major boost, with the official launch of the Bairnsdale Education Plan taking place today (Wednesday, February 17).

Mr Ingram said the idea was first formed by the urgent upgrade needed of facilities at Bairnsdale Secondary College and grew to investigate the possible consolidation of local education providers in one large precinct.

“Since meeting for the first time last year, the working group has developed a detailed education plan which was launched by Treasurer John Lenders on Wednesday,” Mr Ingram said.

“Many of our current education providers in Bairnsdale are located in buildings that are in need of major renovation.

“Bairnsdale Secondary College and the Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centre are located on 93 acres bounded by Wallace, McKean, Calvert and Victoria streets.

“Westdale Kindergarten and the East Gippsland Specialist School are also already located on this land, and TAFE has a number of buildings already located on the large site.

“A precinct would provide the opportunity to move to new buildings and the size of the proposed site means that these groups can still maintain their separate identities”.

Mr Ingram congratulated the working group and staff from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) for their input into the document.

“Like all stakeholders involved in the working group, I am committed to achieving the best educational outcomes to meet the current and future needs of our students,” Mr Ingram concluded.

Copies of the plan are available from Mr Ingram’s electorate office.