Residents in Melton City’s eastern corridor have renewed calls for secondary schools to be built in the area to ease overcrowding and enrolment problems.
A petition with 161 signatures was presented to the council’s last meeting, urging it to seek a meeting with Education Minister Martin Dixon and have the state government acquire land and establish schools in the Hillside, Taylors Hill, Plumpton and Caroline Springs areas.
Four state secondary schools currently serve a population of about 66,000 people. Only Lakeview College offers VCE.
Council’s community services general manager, Maurie Heaney, has previously said the council was aware of pressures on existing schools in the municipality’s eastern corridor.
The council’s state budget wishlist for this year includes funding for a secondary school in the high-growth area.
“Council is advocating for additional secondary schools in the eastern corridor, with priority for Taylors Hill and Burnside,” Mr Heaney said. Keilor Labor MP Natalie Hutchins said many parents were struggling to get their children into local schools.
“Springside College is only a P-9 school so students have to look at other schools to finish their education,’’ Ms Hutchins said.
‘‘I’ve been told that Lakeview Senior College isn’t accepting enrolments from students from Springside to complete their schooling.
“Parents need to be able to send their children to state schools, so there needs to be enough places.’’
Mr Dixon’s spokeswoman said: “Infrastructure funding requirements for the Melton area will be considered as part of future budget deliberations.”
