A new ‘education hub’ promoting lifelong learning could be built in Footscray under a proposal floated by Labor ahead of the election.
The $15 million plan for a preschool to postgraduate precinct would bring together a relocated Footscray City College with early childhood facilities, Footscray City Primary School and Victoria University.
The new hub is expected to be located in the precinct currently containing VU Nicholson Street and Footscray City Primary School.
Stakeholders will be brought together to examine the project’s feasibility but the proposal has received early backing from parents and Victoria University.
VU vice-chancellor Professor Peter Dawkins said VU already has strong connections with Footscray City College and believes firmly in building links between early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education.
“We see considerable potential in a project of this kind and would be pleased to participate in any feasibility study to see if we can make such a development work to the benefit of all of the key players – the schools, the Maribyrnong council, the university, and of course to the surrounding communities,” he said.
“We particularly think that such a development, if feasible, would fit very well with our commitment to give a tertiary education focus to the development of central Footscray through the Footscray University Town project, being undertaken jointly with Maribyrnong council.”
Parents who have been pushing for a new high school in the Seddon, Kingsville, Yarraville area have responded positively to the plan.
President of the SKY High Working Group, Melissa Horne, said it could create a great new school for local children while opening their eyes to a broad range of educational pathways including TAFE and university.
“Without a doubt this is the best plan anyone has ever come up with for children living in our local area,” she said.
“It is great that we are being listened to and we welcome this plan for a significant investment in our local community and our local school kids.”
Ms Horne said the plan had the potential to have kindergarten, primary, secondary, tertiary and even post-tertiary students and educators working together.
The 1200-member group is seeking a role in the planning and development process.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrew said a landmark education precinct in Footscray would change the face of the west.
“This education precinct is a powerful concept and Labor’s plan will help make it happen,” he said.
“This plan will make Footscray centre of learning, so anyone – no matter what their age or background – can access quality education.”
But Education Minister Martin Dixon said Labor could not be trusted on schools, having left the government with a $420 million school maintenance backlog.
He said Labor had failed to fund promised upgrades or modernisation to more than 200 schools.
“Victorians will not be fooled. They want their government to get on with fixing problems, not making glib promises that are uncosted, unfunded and undeliverable.”
Western suburbs Liberal MP Bernie Finn slammed the promise as “a cruel hoax”.
He said Labor had failed to do its homework in saying the school would only proceed ‘if feasible’.
“This is an empty promise and a cruel hoax on the families of Footscray, who are taken for granted by Labor,’’ he said.
“If Labor is willing to waste millions of dollars on an uncosted, underfunded, undeliverable political stunt, then the only thing Labor will deliver for Victoria is more broken promises.”
