BY SARAH BARONOWSKI
Public schools across the Hunter are set to receive a whopping $94.5 million in needs-based funding for 2018.
It’s part of a record $1.9 billion in Government funding delivered to schools across the state which is an increase of 8% on last year’s funds.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald the region has down quite well for itself.
“Cessnock is getting nearly $18 million, Charlestown schools $9.8 million, Lake Macquarie nearly $10 million, Maitland nearly $16 million, Newcastle schools $6.8 million, Port Stephens schools $11.8 million, Swansea schools nearly $11 million, [and] Wallsend also $11 million so I’m particularly pleased that Hunter schools seem to be doing well out of [the funding].”
With the funds, local schools will be able to address the needs of their students and implement new initiatives for their educational benefit.
Scot MacDonald says each school will nominate where they want the funds to be spent.
“But traditionally, they’ll go towards things like literacy and numeracy support, teacher training, speech pathologist those sorts of things. The local schools are best at identifying how that funding should be spent.”
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Belmont High School [Image: BHS] |
The Government also announced a $25 million upgrade to Belmont High School earlier this week, with work expected to begin next year.
Though it’s currently in the design phase, the project is looking at upgrading the school’s administration block, building a new performing centre, technology learning centre, flexible learning spaces, toilets and a canteen.