Member for Wannon Dan Tehan bites into a pizza cooked up by WAVE school students (l-r) Luke Goodwin, Nicky Warren and Caitie Wilks during talks about how to save the school. 120430LP28 Picture: LEANNE PICKETT CAPTION students at in Henna Street Warrnambool tehy students are cooking pizza. L-R: 17 yr old 20 yr old , 17 yr old , Member for Wannon Dan Tehan
STUDENTS at Warrnambool's WAVE school cooked pizzas and served them with a menu of personal anecdotes when Wannon MP Dan Tehan checked out their classrooms at risk of being condemned.
He heard how their lives had been turned around through the alternative Victorian Certificate of Advanced Learning school.
Recent audits have found the 51-year-old building, which once served as a YMCA venue, is unsuitable as an education venue.
Preliminary estimates have put the figure for repair or replacement at $500,000.
A public campaign has been launched to help find the money and put pressure on state and federal governments.
This week's visit by Mr Tehan was arranged by WAVE student Monique Shalders who is organising a community petition which is expected to be circulated later this week. She hopes to gather more than 1000 signatures to present to State Parliament.
Mr Tehan said he was impressed by the students who had previously been disengaged from mainstream education and were now looking to gain employment or further qualifications.
"This learning space is quite unique," he said.
"The first step is to get a quote for what needs to be done. I said I would then write to the Minister for Education and Minister for Indigenous Affairs to seek if they could help in restoring the facility."
Mr Tehan also met the principal and vice-principal of Warrnambool College and the WAVE school manager during his visit.
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