As part of the Federal government’s Capital Grants Funding, Holy Trinity Primary School will receive $914,304 towards new learning areas and Wagga Christian College will receive $600,000 towards learning areas and tutorial rooms. 

Wagga Christian College principal Hugh MacCallum welcomed the grant, which will go towards construction of five general learning areas and two tutorial rooms. 

“The money is for a middle school wing, because at the moment half our middle-school students are in portables and the other half are in the very first building that was at the college,” Mr MacCallum said. 

“The government will be giving us about 30 per cent of the building cost and our parents, who are all taxpayers, will be providing the other 70 per cent, so we’re really thrilled to get the $600,000 towards the total billed cost. 

“From the building revolution outcomes I’m really confident that we’ll be able to say our money will be spent really wisely and our parents and taxpayers will get great value for their dollar.” 

Similarly, Holy Trinity’s principal Paul Jenkins welcomed the grant to accommodate the growing needs of the school community. 

“The school will benefit greatly and we’ll be able to finish off our classrooms as we completed our kindergarten and Year 1 and 2 classrooms last year which was self funded by the Catholic Diocese, but it means we can revamp Years 3 to 6,” Mr Jenkins said. 

“Our school is very tired and both the classrooms and staff office spaces need revamping. 

“The $900,000 contribution will go part of the way in supporting our open and contemporary learning spaces.” 

Mr Jenkins said due to the growing student population, there is a class in the school hall and this grant will mean that students will be getting a proper classroom. 

“This will have an immense effect on students’ learning and support the contemporary differentiate learning in each of our classes,” he said. 

“We’re hoping to begin March of next year and the construction shouldn’t impact classes as we will put these classrooms towards the back area of the school.” 

Holy Trinity are planning to utilise this grant contribution towards building new learning areas, covered outdoor learning areas and a staff study. 

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said this funding would give each school the necessary infrastructure to continue delivering quality education. 

“The Liberal and Nationals’ government is committed to providing quality education to regional and rural students through the Capital Grants Program,” Mr McCormack said.

“These latest grants build on more than $1.8 million in funding delivered last year to four schools in the Riverina and Central West.

“We want to give students every opportunity to succeed – we have delivered a $53.9 million injection to allow more students in regional and rural areas to qualify for Youth Allowance, we have invested a further $134.8 million into education so more rural Australians can have greater access to higher education.”