A COMMUNITY group pushing for the return of a high school to the Yarraville area is stepping up its campaign to mark its 10th anniversary.
SKYHigh has launched an online Change.org petition calling on Education Minister Martin Dixon and Premier Denis Napthine to build a high school for Seddon, Kingsville and Yarraville (SKY), so far collecting 160 signatures.
SKYHigh president Janine Lloyd says there are 2000 students in four SKY public primary schools, with four in five graduates likely to go on to a public high school.
But the Department of Education wrote to SKYHigh in March, advising it will not be building a local high school because there are enough high school places until at least 2026.
“The Education Department has underestimated the yield we would have in the area,” Ms Lloyd said.
The petition argues last year’s review into demand for secondary school places, commissioned by the education department, was based on flawed data.
SKYHigh says little has been done despite unacceptably long waiting lists for childcare, full kindergartens and over-crowded primary schools in the area.
The petition aims to convince the state government to undertake a feasibility study into a new high school as a matter of urgency.
A spokesman for Mr Dixon said last year’s review drew on a range of data including ABS population figures, school data sets and local planning data.
SKYHigh’s annual meeting will be held at the Yarraville Club at 8pm next Monday.
