Two schools in the Grampians area and two in the Wimmera have been included in a multi-million dollar grant from the Victorian Department of Education.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Pomonal Primary School principal Belinda Wethers said the outside school care grant would make a massive difference for their school and families.
"All of our families are working families and they find it really challenging to manage work and life commitments when they didn't have after school care," Ms Wethers said.
"It really enables them to focus on their careers and their children's educations."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The program will also provide activities at Pomonal Primary school for the outside care.
"We are aiming to hold an art day, a cooking day, sport day. This way the children can gain skills while also being cared for," she said.
"We have a parent who volunteers for cultural activities with this grant we will be able to employ her to provide more cultural understanding."
Ms Wethers said parents were "crying out" for longer outside school care when the school surveyed their students and families.
"One hundred percent of the surveys collected indicated parents would use the services a minimum of three days a week," she said.
"This grant means we can fund a much-needed program.
"In the future it might encourage parents to consider our school because it provides this service."
The other local schools included in the grant were Concongella Primary School, Murtoa College, and Rupanyup Primary School.
Rupanyup Primary School school council president Drew Gellatly said the grant would significantly help the Rupanyup school and broader community.
"We've had dwindling numbers over the last couple of years and it's hard to attract new families to the town and the school," he said.
"It's been a real issue in small communities.
"Hopefully this will help retain some of the students we do have and attract families to the school and the community."
Rupanyup Primary School also hope to employ an outside school carer.
Mr Gellatly said 18 families have already put their hand up to use the service.
"It's been identified in the town as an urgent issue.
OTHER NEWS:
"Local business operators need care for their children so they can run their businesses. There are also migrants in town who have visas which stipulate both parents need to work.
"If we were in metropolitan areas this would be seen as a basic service."
Mr Gellatly said it would be a boost to the small country town.
"There is a huge flow-on effect for the community.
"If there is no care, we can't attract new families, and school and community group numbers dwindle."
These schools will receive up to $75,000 per year over the next four years for their outside school hours care service.
The funding will help establish new services and provide support for costs including resources or equipment, setup and administration, facility upgrades, small service viability and transport.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Ararat Advertiser, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ararat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.