Victorian Catholic schools to receive $243 million for upgrades

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement yesterday of $243 million in capital funding for Catholic schools across the state.

Joining Deputy Premier and Minister for Education the Hon Ben Carroll at Holy Eucharist School, St Albans, MACS Executive Director Dr Edward Simons said the funding, which includes $141 million for MACS schools, will help MACS respond to the growing demand for Catholic education.

‘Demand for Catholic education grew almost 2 per cent between 2023 and 2024, including growth in primary school enrolments.

‘We greatly appreciate the support of the Victorian Government, which will assist us to keep pace with growing community demand for Catholic education,’ Dr Simons said.

‘Our school communities save the government tens of millions of dollars every year through their contributions to school fees and capital works, and the quality of our education offering is evident by the fact that more parents are choosing Catholic schools than ever before.’

Projects include:

• Holy Eucharist School will receive $1.4 million to refurbish classrooms, bathrooms and breakout spaces.
• Marymede Catholic College, South Morang, will receive $6 million to expand the Doreen campus and build eight general learning areas, a learning resource centre, an information technology centre, a careers and pathways centre, and a student wellbeing and counselling centre.
• St Patrick’s Primary School, Kilmore, will receive $3.6 million to deliver four new classrooms.
• Kolbe Catholic College, Greenvale Lakes, will receive $6 million for the expansion of the Mickleham campus, which will help it introduce Year 12 and meet growing enrolment demand. The work will add 16 classrooms, a performing arts centre, multipurpose rooms and four relocatable modular classrooms.
• Three new Catholic primary schools, which will be located in Mount Atkinson (City of Melton), Mount Duneed (City of Greater Geelong/Surf Coast Shire) and Thornhill Park (City of Melton), will also receive funding.

Upgraded and new learning environments will help ensure MACS teachers can provide an outstanding education and enable all students, regardless of background, to flourish.