Meeting with MP to tackle doubt over planned school

By Melissa Meehan
CASEY residents will meet with Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley this afternoon (Thursday) to discuss the uncertain future of the proposed Casey Central Secondary College.
Parent and coordinator of the Casey school 2009 campaign Sue Ernsdoefer said she hoped the meeting would finally give parents the answers for which they were searching.
“We hope that we’ll come out of the meeting with knowledge as to whether the State Government’s election promise will be broken or if proposed school will go ahead and open its doors in 2009,” Ms Ernsdoefer said.
The new school was earmarked for vacant land near the Casey Central Shopping Centre on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road during the last state election campaign.
“I spoke to Judith a couple of weeks ago and she said that she had met with education minister staff about maintaining the 2009 opening of the school, she said that she came out of the meeting feeling positive, but that’s all I know at this stage,” Ms Ernsdoefer said.
Ms Ernsdoefer said she was furious that after numerous letters and attempts to discuss the school’s fate with Minister for Education Bronwyn Pike she was yet to receive a response.
“The courtesy of a response would be greatly appreciated,” she said.
News reported the frustration felt by parents in relation to the school on 25 October, and South Eastern Metropolitan MP Gordon Rich-Phillips has since expressed his concern about the region’s lack of secondary schools.
“There is enormous need for secondary school facilities in the area,” he said.
“There has been a wave of growth and there are a lot of children approaching secondary school age.
“The young population surrounding the area is provided for with primary schools, but the nearest secondary school is Narre Warren South P-12. It is full and it is turning parents away from the area,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
“The next alternative is Eumemmerring College, which is an 18-kilometre round trip for students from the Berwick South and Narre Warren South area.”
Mr Rich Phillips said it was important for the Government not to turn its back on the proposed school, and called for it to ensure that children in years seven and eight were able to begin classes at the new Casey Central Secondary College in 2009.