The education minister toured Warrnambool Special Developmental School on Thursday, which the school council saw as a positive step in its plan for new facilities after it missed out on funding in the state budget.
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However, James Merlino did not make a firm commitment to funding the plan and did not offer a timeline for the project.
Mr Merlino said he wanted to communicate to the principal and the school community that building a new school, which the state government promised prior to the 2014 election, was a priority project and “we’ll finish what we started”.
“We made the election commitment, we delivered the funding for the land and obviously there will be future budgets to consider funding for the capital,” he said.
Mr Merlino said he also took the chance to look at immediate steps to assist the school.
“Even if money was delivered immediately, there would still be a couple of years where the students would still be at the school while the new school was being built, and it’s a growing enrolment on a very difficult site with cramped conditions.”
School council president Michael West said it was great to be heard by someone so senior in government.
“We’re very excited that he’s taken the time to come and visit, and welcome his interest in our school and the conditions our children and teachers are working and learning in,” Mr West said.
Following a May meeting, the state government agreed to introduce temporary measures to alleviate overcrowding at the school after assessing needs.
