Tuesday, 22 February 2022

School Shade Sails Fund

Mr ERDOGAN (Southern Metropolitan) (12:49): I rise to update the chamber about four local schools in my electorate which recently received funding under the Victorian government’s School Shade Sails Fund. Students at Cheltenham Primary School, Belle Vue Primary School, Deepdene Primary School and Greythorn Primary School will soon be able to use a new outdoor shaded learning area, promoting a safe learning environment, preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the school community, students, parents and teachers alike.

I am very pleased that the start of the 2022 school year has been a success, as I know many families were keen to see the return of onsite learning. These announcements are part of a more than $190 million investment that our government has made to help ensure that a safe return to onsite learning is a reality. Programs like the school shade sails and more than 50 000 air purifiers that we have rolled out to schools across the state are helping to ensure that now that schools are open they will remain open in 2022. I want to commend the work that the Minister for Education, Minister Merlino, but also all the other ministers in the other relevant portfolios have done in providing a safe return to school for all students and communities.