Land set for new school

Member for Eastern Victoria Region Daniel Mulino inspects the site of Pakenham North East Primary School, funded in the 2017-'18 budget.

By Bonny Burrows

In a boost to local education, land has been acquired for a new state-of-the-art primary school in north east Pakenham.
Funded in the 2017-’18 State Budget, the $13.8 million school will be located on the corner of Atlantic Drive and Abrehart Road to meet growing demand.
Member for Eastern Victoria Region Daniel Mulino said the school would be built with a capacity of 475 students, however the inclusion of school portables meant this figure could increase with Pakenham’s booming population.
Cardinia Shire Council data reveals on average 35 new families move to the area each week.
The MP said the investment was about being prepared for the growing need.
“When it comes to making sure our kids get a great education, we can’t afford to wait. It’s why we’ve bought the land, and now we’re getting on with building a new school,” Mr Mulino said.
The new school was one of 13 announced in 2 May’s budget, as part of a $270 million contribution to state education.
Education Minister James Merlino said this was “another big budget for our schools and our kids are worth every cent”.
“Across our state, we want to make sure that our schools have the best facilities, our classrooms have the best teachers and that every child is given a chance to succeed,” Mr Merlino said.
The timeline of the project has not yet been announced.