Nearly 50 schools will undergo $300,000 infrastructure upgrades of their choice as the Territory Labor Government continues to deliver a key election commitment.

The $56.4 million Building Better Schools program aims to support generational change and ensure all Territory children have access to quality infrastructure to support quality learning.

The program has also created more than 800 local construction jobs across the Territory in the past two years.

The Chief Minister and Minister for Children Michael Gunner today announced the 39 government and nine non-government schools* to receive a total of $14.4 million in funding for Round 3.

The program gives schools and school councils the power to determine which minor infrastructure upgrades they most need, while supporting local jobs.

In the first two rounds of the program, 81 government schools and 19 non-government schools invested in a diverse array of school improvement projects, from shade structure installations, to new playground areas, solar panel installation, new toilet facilities and classroom upgrades.

Over the course of its four-year term, 188 schools – 152 government and 36 non-government – will receive the one-off funding, which is spread over four rounds.

Quotes attributable to Chief Minister and Minister for Children, Michael Gunner:

 “We are delivering on our promise to give $300,000 to every Territory school.

“The funding not only supports jobs but importantly, creates better learning environments for our children.

“From remote communities to our cities, we are investing in quality infrastructure that will serve our children for many years to come.

“Investing in our schools is not only an investment in our economy and in our people, it is an investment in our future.”

Quotes from Minister for Education, Selena Uibo:

“Children are at the heart of all decisions made by the Territory Labor Government and we know that quality infrastructure is important to meet the needs of our students now and into the future.

“These small infrastructure upgrades, determined by schools, can make a big difference to the learning environment.

“Unlike the CLP, who showed they did not care about our children or our schools by ripping $135 million from the education budget, the Territory Labor Government will always invest in education, because we know it is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.”

Quote from Jingili Primary School Principal, Carin Symonds:

“The BBS funding has allowed us to undertake a range of projects, which not only has helped improve the infrastructure of our school but has also assisted us in developing more sustainable practices in line with the work we do within our Kitchen Garden program.”

*List of schools attached

Media contact: Andrea Allen 0401 119467.