General News
5 May, 2026
MEC’s specialist setting to receive $18 million for bigger, better classroom spaces
Maryborough Education Centre will be receiving $18 million toward infrastructure upgrades and modernisation at their specialist education setting, part of today’s release of the State Budget.
Several government schools across the state will share in $295 million toward building upgrades including $18.097 million for MEC, which will be used toward a new special needs building and an all abilities track.
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett welcomed the announcement last Friday along with the release of the State Government’s $1.6 billion pre-budget education infrastructure package.
“Education is such a passion for me ... our country kids deserve really great classrooms ... our kids deserve the very best learning facilities and that’s what they are going to get,” she said.
MEC’s current specialist setting, the Beckworth campus, was originally built to accommodate 16 students. There are now over 60 students enrolled, with the cohort outgrowing their allocated space.
To accommodate these numbers, some classes have been undertaken in portables separate from the main schooling area.
“It’s not an ideal way to learn and grow, so this purpose built building will be incredible and it will be great for the future,” Ms Haylett said.
MEC’s principal Kristen Le Gassick is pleased to hear of the much needed funding.
“You can imagine, we have had to move out of that building, we have got classes in portables and we have students in some of the mainstream areas, so it’s spread out a bit. It only has one small play space, but we need different areas. The rooms we do have in Beckworth are really small and just not fit for purpose,” she said.
“This means our specialist students will have a state-of-the-art building with two play spaces, one for junior and one for senior students, they can be made for the needs of each student. These new buildings will mean they will get the best educational support they can. Our staff are amazing, but what has let us down is the actual facilities.”
Former MEC principal David Sutton was pleased to see the school receive the funding, and agreed upgrades have been needed for some time.
“We are thrilled. Absolutely thrilled. We needed to meet the size profile, clearly we need the extra space but we also need upgrades to meet the needs of the students,” he said.
“Martha came to the school council a couple of years ago and really listened deeply to the concerns of the parents and of the leadership of the school. She has been an untiring advocate for the school and families in the community.”
This announcement also follows concerns from staff that the school had been left out of government specialist school funds in recent years.
“A lot of specialist schools were updated, but we weren’t. So this will bring us in line with specialist schools across the state,” Ms Le Gassick said.
An educational consultant has been appointed to assess the functionality of proposed learning spaces and to ensure facilties are purpose built for modern teaching and learning.
“They have a really good understanding on how spaces work for learning, we feel we have been really supported in creating spaces that are right for teaching and learning,” Ms Le Gassick said.
While only being in the position as MEC’s principal for less than 12 months, Ms Le Gassick said she has seen how the funding has followed years of community advocacy.
“There is great recognition for our community and what we do here. We are valued and our work is valued, recognised and seen. 18 million sounds like a huge amount, but when you break that down to build facilities,” she said.
“What we are going to be able to achieve at that cost will be amazing ... the whole community has been fighting for this, David, Julie Reiger the assistant principal, and Martha, there has been a lot of ground level push for this. I’m lucky to be in the seat where it is going to be happening, but this has been the result of the community and staff at the school, and Martha’s support.”
As for other schools in the Ripon electorate receiving this funding, Ararat Primary School has obtained $9 million under the same budget fund, and just over $100,000 has been given to Miners Rest Primary School under the State Govern-ment’s $24.5 million budget for infrastructure repairs.