Australian Government Secondary Schools Historic Modernisation Program

Australian Federal Government today announced $810m funding transitioning Australian secondary schools into the 21st century.

The program delivers funding to secondary schools that demonstrated their school's disadvantage and need and is part of the Rudd Government's nation building for recovery plan to help drive Australia out of the global recession.

Under the Science and Language Centres first stage of the 21st Century Secondary Schools [SLC] element of the Building the Education Revolution [BER] 537 science laboratories and language learning centres will be built or refurbished.

SLC projects provide provides schools access to modern facilities with leading edge technologies. Construction commences quickly, boosting jobs, stimulating local economies and investing in imperative long-term infrastructure.

This round of funding comprises 280 science centres, 179 language centres and 78 dual facilities either constructed or refurbished.

Successful projects includes Northern Territory's Tennant Creek High School, receiving $1.97m for a new science centre, Queensland Thursday Island's Tagai State College $1.4 million for new language centre and NSW's Bourke High School $1.97m for new science centre. Under SLC, up to $574m [71%] of funding goes to Government schools, $150m [18%] to Catholic schools and $90m [11%] to Independent schools. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR] is working with education authorities to finalise costs. A further announcement will be made when this process is completed.

Building the Education Revolution is a key element of the Rudd Government's $42b Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan supporting jobs, stimulating local economies and investing in important infrastructure for the long-term.

The Australian Government expresses gratitude to the Australian school principals and school communities for their enthusiasm and commitments in Building the Education Revolution.

A full list of successful schools and their planned projects are available at: www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au or www.economicstimulusplan.gov.au.