$10-million upgrade for Sunshine College

St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman, Anne-Maree Crivelli and James Merlino. (Joe Mastroianni)

Sunshine College will get a $10 million upgrade and new buildings at two of its campuses, the government announced last week.

Education Minister James Merlino visited the college’s north campus last Wednesday to announce the $10 million state budget bonanza.

“We’re rebuilding Sunshine College and giving its students the safe, modern and comfortable classrooms that they need to learn,” Mr Merlino said.

College principal Tim Blunt said the funding would be used to build specialist new learning centres at the west and north campuses.

He said a science-technology-engineering-mathematics (STEM) building is on the cards for the north campus, which would help both teaching and learning in these subjects to excel. The funding would also be used to redevelop the whole of the west campus, also including a STEM centre and performing arts spaces.

“The facilities will be a great environment for our students to work in. It’s good for the college, but it’s also good for the Sunshine community,” Mr Blunt said. “We will end up with world-class facilities to deliver what we consider at the moment is a world-class curriculum.”

While in Sunshine, Mr Merlino also visited the Furlong Park School for Deaf Children where he met students and toured the school.

Principal Anne-Maree Crivelli said the minister saw the school’s integrated learning approach in action.

She said Mr Merlino also talked to students about their efforts to raise money for people affected by the recent Nepal earthquakes.

Yasemin Talat