$9 million for regional education

Shelley Payne says schools and education support centres in Albany and Denmark will receive more than $9 million under a Shorten Labor government.

The Labor candidate for O’Connor vowed the money would be handed out over three years if Labor won next month’s election.

Under the plan, Albany Senior High School would receive $2 million, while North Albany Senior High School and Mount Lockyer Primary School would be in line for nearly $1.7 million and $1 million respectively.

Schools and education support centres in towns including Mt Barker, Katanning, Kojonup and Gnowangerup would receive between $50,000 and $1.3 million each from a pool of $15.5 million for the O’Connor electorate.

Ms Payne said the investment would help close the gap between metropolitan and regional education.

“We do see regional schools in our electorate falling behind other schools,” she said.

“No matter where you live, you’ll have the same chance to get the same education.”

Meanwhile, the Coalition’s 2019-20 Budget included about $300 billion for schools nationally over 10 years.

That boost would cover upgrades to school libraries, classrooms and play equipment, a scholarship for 1000 students a year to study in regional Australia, a new school community program, and $453 million to increase preschool education availability.