The future of Tooborac Primary School was discussed at a community consultation meeting at the campus recently, with over 50 local residents in attendance.
The school was deemed non-operational earlier this year after no new enrolments were recorded for 2024, despite the school recently receiving $1.1 million in State Government funding in 2021.
Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland attended the meeting, and stated it offered critical insight into the school’s future.
“This was a productive meeting that gave concerned locals an opportunity to hear about what’s next for Tooborac Primary School,” she said.
“The Department of Education has effectively committed to continue consulting with the community for the rest of the year as all possibilities are explored for how these facilities can be used.
“Additionally, they are looking to see if some form of basic education support can be offered through the campus during this time.”
While the community has advocated tirelessly for their school to be deemed operational again, there are several factors that need to be considered for the Department to re-open the campus.
“Ideally, the community would like to see it back up and running as their local school, although they are aware of the enrolment pressures and staffing shortages that exist,” Ms Cleeland said.
“If closing the school is the only option, I am interested to see how these facilities can still be used for the betterment of the Tooborac community.
“Particularly, if these facilities can be repurposed into a community space, disability support, childcare, or an early learning centre to address the lack of these options in the town.”
