Monday 6 October 2008

The Chairman of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Limited, Bishop Tim Costelloe, has welcomed the injection by the State Labor Government of $38.9 million in capital grants to rebuild and upgrade needy Catholic schools, vastly improving learning opportunities for Victoria’s 186,000 Catholic school students.

Bishop Costelloe said the State Government’s decision to provide $24.3 million in 2008 and a further $14.6 million by October 2009 will not only improve physical facilities at the schools, but it would free up other funds within Catholic school budgets to meet additional operational costs.

The Director of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Mr Stephen Elder, said that the Victorian Labor Government had recognised the importance that Catholic schools play in Victoria's education system and understood that some schools require additional assistance to improve outdated facilities and improve student outcomes.

"The additional capital funds will be most timely for Catholic schools as they will ease the pressure on school budgets and free up local school resources that would otherwise be spent on maintenance and capital programs to help target better student learning programs," Mr Elder said.

"We are most grateful to the State Government for this urgent assistance with the escalating cost of education and the economic pressure on families who choose Catholic education for their children.

"The Catholic education sector has a good working relationship with the Brumby Government and this has been acknowledged by the constructive discussions being currently undertaken around the next funding agreement due to start in 2010."