Brendan O’Connor today announced that Taylors Lakes Primary School will receive $3 million for construction new classrooms as part of Primary Schools for the 21st Century (P21).  The school is one of 20 primary schools in the electorate of Gorton will collectively receive $41.85 million for major new infrastructure projects under the third and final round of P21.

Mr O’Connor said that the Rudd Government is undertaking the largest school modernisation program in Australia’s history to support local jobs.

“This investment in our local primary schools is long overdue and will go a long way to supporting local jobs during the global recession.”

“Teachers and students in our local schools should be teaching and learning in 21st Century facilities,” Mr O’Connor said.

“It’s been great to see local principals, school communities and the building industry working together with the State and Federal governments to deliver these important projects.”

P21 Round Three projects will start as soon as possible to provide immediate support for jobs. The $14.1 billion will deliver much needed funding for major infrastructure projects, including libraries, multipurpose halls and classrooms.

Under the Building the Education Revolution program:

·       The National School Pride program has delivered more than $7 million for minor refurbishment, maintenance and infrastructure projects in 45 primary and secondary schools in Gorton.

·       P21 has delivered more than $85 million for the construction of state-of-the-art libraries, multipurpose halls, assembly halls, new classrooms and resource centres in Gorton.

·       Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools has delivered more than $5.9 million for new or refurbished science laboratories and language centres in schools in Gorton.

Building the Education Revolution is a key element of the Rudd Government’s $42 billion Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan to support jobs, stimulate local economies and invest in important infrastructure for the long term.

By combining the development of a new truly national curriculum, greater transparency, a renewed focus on literacy and numeracy and record investment in school infrastructure and quality teachers, the Rudd Government is delivering an Education Revolution to all our schools.

A full list of successful schools and their planned projects will be available at: www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au <http://www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au/> or at: www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au <http://www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au>