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CLASSROOMS infested with mould, an entire toilet block shut down, chairs that break from underneath you — welcome to Benalla P-12 College.
It’s been about 30 years since any of the school’s four campuses received a significant upgrade; now, almost 1000 students are packed into buildings that teachers and the school council alike argue are just not suitable.
There have been plans afoot to redevelop the college since the rural city’s public schools merged in 2013.
“Both governments (previous Labor and Coalition) agreed it was the right thing to do for the town but we now we need the capital injection,” school council president Stephen Lister said.
“These buildings were constructed in the 1950s and 60s and designed to last 50 years ... it’s been known they’ve been in a bad condition for the past six or seven years but the schools were told ‘don’t spend too much because it’s going to be redeveloped’.”
The college received $5 million in last year’s state budget that it planned to put toward new buildings for the senior students; however, the school says it has since been told it must use that money to maintain existing buildings.
That includes spaces like an art room at the Faithfull Street campus that’s been decommissioned due to mould — now spreading to other rooms in the wing — or a closed boys’ toilet block that’s completely below standard.
The students know the college has its problems — they love their school and reckon their teachers do a great job, but appearances leave a lot to be desired.
“Coming from the primary school I wasn’t sure about coming here (Faithfull Street campus) because of how it looked,” confessed year 8 student Katherine Gervasoni.
“We just want it to look as good as it really is.”
She and schoolmates Lauren Barton, also year 8, and Jazzy Burke, year 9, said the old buildings and, in some cases, breaking furniture, “don’t make you feel excited about learning”; the quality of other schools in the region, particularly the Catholic colleges, isn’t lost on them either.
“It’s hard to see those nice classrooms and grounds and then you come back here,” Lauren said.
“If it’s a nice environment you feel more positive about working.”
“The buildings are the face of the school,” added Jazzy. “If someone visits, they might not want to bring their kids here.”
Principal Barbara O’Brien said enrolments had already declined slightly in recent years.