$3m school fix

Friday June 09, 2023

By Charlotte Varcoe

NEW classrooms are at the top of the list for Yahl Primary School after a $3 million grant from the State Government was announced earlier this week.

The school, which currently has more than 100 students, is one of 66 schools across the state to receive funding for infrastructure upgrades.

It will be the first major upgrade for the school since its library was built in 2012, and principal Chris Morrison said her "knees buckled" and she "had to sit down" when she was told the funding was allocated.

"We did not apply for the funding but the governing council has been instrumental in keeping the department up to date with the conditions of our buildings and requesting upgrades."

She said it was when Minister for Education Blair Boyer had come to visit the school which allowed him to see first-hand the dire upgrades were needed.

"We have two single portables and one double portable which are from the 1950s and 1960s," Ms Morrison said.

"There are a lot of things going wrong with these aged buildings including ventilation and lack of space for our students as a learning environment and we thought if we kept asking, there was any chance we could have an upgrade that would be great."

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell also helped with campaigning and kept the ball rolling for the upgrades, ensuring the school was in focus with the department.

"We were lucky enough that they realised we did need something done to our school and that is what has happened," Ms Morrison said.

"The $3m will hopefully cover our building costs, but our school is willing to put in extra money to make sure we build the best that we can and to the extent our community needs.

" The school will go with what the department suggests for replacing the current portables.

"We would also love to build a multi-purpose area because when it is raining, we have nowhere to fit every child in," she said.

"We have an undercover area that just does not keep the rain or wind out, so we have been hoping we will be able to add that in as well."

Ms Morrison said she hoped the new classrooms would provide a better learning space for the students and allowing the school to be suitable for children who are looking for a small school environment.

"This will give a sense that small schools are valued and what I want to do is use this money to show what can be done and what a small school can offer with the right funds," she said.

"We want to maintain that small school setting and community because it is not about the buildings but about the environment that is created and we will remain that family orientated primary school."

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