The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) will deliver 42 school building projects valued at over $185 million in 2021, including fast-tracking around $35 million in projects to help support Victoria’s economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent bushfires.

The initiative incorporates the decision by the Victorian Government to bring forward a portion of the next round of allocations under the Non-Government Schools Capital Fund for both building new schools, and increasing the capacity of and upgrading facilities in existing schools.

CECV Executive Director Jim Miles says the Catholic sector is pleased to contribute to Victoria’s economic recovery effort in this way.

‘We congratulate the state government on this fast-tracking initiative. It delivers a win-win for new and upgraded facilities for school communities sooner, and additional jobs for the Victorian building industry.

‘The fast-tracked projects will be in addition to those already planned for 2021 and, where possible, will commence over the next six months’, he said.

Mr Miles said more than 20% of Victorian students are educated in 499 Catholic schools across the state, making the expansion and upgrading of facilities essential to delivering a high-quality, faith-based education option for families, and meeting increasing demand for school enrolments.

‘The Catholic education community contributes the majority of funds to build and maintain Catholic schools, so I also thank our families for their significant investment in education in our state,’ he said.

The fast-tracked funding is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment of $402 million over the four years 2019–20 to 2022–23 through the Non-Government Schools Capital Fund to help expand capacity of and upgrade existing schools, and build new Catholic and independent schools across the state.

Media contact: Gerard Delaney on 0413 274 176 or gdelaney@cem.edu.au

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