Better Facilities for Catholic and Independent Schools

A re-elected Andrews Labor Government will make sure every Victorian child in our growing suburbs has access to a great local school with a $717 million package to support low-fee independent and Catholic schools across the state.

Since we came to government, we’ve invested more than $12.8 billion to improve classrooms, upgrade facilities and build new schools in every corner of the state.

As our suburbs grow, there’s demand to build and expand Catholic and independent schools so they can meet the needs of their growing local communities.

That’s why Labor will deliver $450 million to build and upgrade Catholic and independent schools across the state, with Catholic schools receiving at least 70 per cent of this investment, in line with their share of students.

A re-elected Labor Government will work closely with the low-fee independent and Catholic sectors to identify the best projects.

The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria has identified an initial list of priorities – with five new schools and expanded capacity at 13 others.

We’ll make sure that no matter where Victorians choose to educate their kids, they’ll have access to a great local school. This promise builds on the $522 million we’ve already invested to deliver better Catholic and independent schools since coming to government.

But we’ll do more. Labor is doing what matters by investing in the early childhood education sector to ensure every child has the best start in life.

That’s why we will invest $250 million to build and upgrade around 60 kinders at Catholic and independent schools.

Building kinders alongside schools gets rid of the dreaded double-drop-off. It means less time in the car, and more time at home with the family.

We’ll support new and upgraded kinders at non-government schools, making sure there are enough early childhood education places and making life easier for the families who attend Catholic and independent schools.

There are a handful of non-government kindergartens funded below the standard non-government school rate of $3,831 per enrolment. We will fix this anomaly so that all students at non-government kinders receive this rate. 

Labor brought back the school dental van after the 2018 election. We said we’d look at expanding the Smile Squad to low-fee independent and Catholic schools – and a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will do just that. 

The package also includes a $17 million investment to expand the Smile Squad free dental van to low fee independent and Catholic schools from 2026 – saving parents time and money on trips to the dentist. 

On top of this announcement, the Andrews Labor Government is investing $68 million in 32 projects for Catholic and independent schools through the fourth round of the existing $402 million Non-Government Schools Capital Fund, promised at the 2018 election.

Across the state, 19 Catholic and 13 independent schools will share in funding for three new schools, extra capacity to meet enrolment demand, and upgrades to existing schools.

You can’t trust the Liberals when it comes to education – when they were last in charge they cut more than $1 billion from the education budget.

Only Labor is doing what matters – supporting families who choose to send their kids to low-fee independent and Catholic schools with the best facilities for learning.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We’ll make sure wherever you choose to send your kids to school they have access to first-rate facilities.” 

“We know many families with children at low-fee schools scrimp and save to make ends meet – that’s why we’ll continue to support the Catholic and independent sector to deliver great local schools.” 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Natalie Hutchins

“You can’t trust Matthew Guy’s Liberals when it comes to educating our kids – when they were in charge, they cut more than $1 billion from the education budget, and Victorian families paid the price.”

“Only Labor is doing what matters and ensuring every Victorian child has access to a great local school, whether it’s a government, Catholic or independent school.”

This funding will support:

·        New campus of Kolbe College, Donnybrook Road, Mickleham (Craigieburn Parish) – to open in 2026

·        New Catholic Primary School, Wollert (Epping Parish) – to open in 2025

·        Holy Trinity Primary School, Sunbury (Sunbury Parish) – to open in 2025

·        Mary, Queen of Heaven Primary School, Greenvale (Roxburgh Park Parish) – to open in 2025

·        St Lawrence of Brindisi Primary School, Weir Views (Melton South Parish) – to open in 2025

Extending capacity:

·        Sacred Heart Primary School, Sandringham

·        St Monica’s Primary School, Moonee Ponds

·        St John the Baptist Primary School, Ferntree Gully

·        St Margaret’s Primary School, Maribyrnong

·        Sacred Heart Primary School, St Albans

·        St Bernard’s Primary School, Bacchus Marsh

·        St Michael’s Primary School, North Melbourne

·        St Peter’s Primary School, Keilor East

·        Sacred Heart Primary School, Mildura

·        St Brigid's College, Horsham

·        St Francis Xavier Primary School, Corio

·        Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School, Warrnambool

·        St Jude the Apostle School, Scoresby