MARGARET RIVER parents are celebrating the announcement a new independent public school which will be completed in Rapids Landing during 2018.
Minister for Education Peter Collier announced three new public primary schools for the state today with Margaret River making the final list.
Costing $16 million the new school will be state of the art and cater for 430 pupils from kindergarten to year six.
With Margaret River Primary School bursting at the seams, with 868 students currently enrolled, the new school will go a long way to easing classroom pressure.
Vasse MP Libby Mettam visited the Margaret River Primary School on Friday morning to announce the news to acting principal Craig Mainard and school board chair Eloise Jarvis.
Mr Mainard said it was a huge relief to find out the building would go ahead after the board had worked hard to prepare for the huge growth expectation in the next three years.
“By 2018 we will have 1100 students at the school,” he said.
“We had already applied for transportable class rooms and filled two for next year,” he said.
“Until building is completed we will rely on these.”
Ms Mettam said the facility will be state of the art and feature specialist learning areas and the latest computer technology.
“Planning will begin right away on the independent public school,” she said.
Ms Jarvis said it was great the education minister Peter Collier had acknowledged the town’s needs.
“It’s wonderful that we will be able to extend quality primary education to the community,” she said.
Ms Jarvis said the independent public school will take community input into how it is planned and run.
Ms Mettam said enrolment had drifted back to public schools each year for the past five years.
“These new facilities will provide everything students need for a 21st century education, and serve our children well for many years to come,” she said.