The Australian Government today announced funding of $810 million to bring Australian secondary schools into the 21st century.
A total of 537 science laboratories and language learning centres will be built or refurbished under the first stage of the Science and Language Centres for the 21st Century Secondary Schools (SLC) element of the Building the Education Revolution (BER).
This important program will deliver much-needed funding to secondary schools that have demonstrated through a competitive process their school's disadvantage and need.
This is part of the Rudd Government's nation building for recovery plan to help drive Australia out of the global recession - building the infrastructure we need for tomorrow while supporting jobs and businesses today.
SLC projects will give schools access to modern facilities with leading edge technologies. Construction will commence quickly, providing immediate support for jobs.
This round of funding will see 280 science centres, 179 language centres and 78 dual facilities either constructed or refurbished.
The Rudd Government is undertaking the largest school modernisation program in Australia's history to support local jobs, stimulate every local economy and invest in important long-term infrastructure.
Successful projects include deserving schools such as Tennant Creek High School in the Northern Territory which will receive $1.97 million for a new science centre, Tagai State College on Thursday Island in Queensland which will receive $1.4 million for a new language centre, and Bourke High School in NSW which will receive $1.97 million for a new science centre.
Under SLC, up to $574 million (71 per cent) of funding will go to Government schools, $150 million (18 per cent) to Catholic schools and $90 million (11 per cent) to Independent schools.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is working with education authorities in relation to a number of other suitable applications from schools to finalise the costings for their projects. A further announcement will be made when this process has been completed.
Building the Education Revolution is a key element of the Rudd Government's $42 billion Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan to support jobs, stimulate local economies and invest in important infrastructure for the long-term.
The Government sincerely thanks school principals and school communities around Australia for their enthusiasm for, and commitment to, Building the Education Revolution.
A full list of successful schools and their planned projects are available at: www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au or at: www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au