Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards says she would be keen to see Guildford succeed in its ambitious campaign to reopen the town’s primary school.
The historic primary school, which is still owned by the education department, was closed in 2017 due to declining enrolments.
At the time, the school had eight pupils enrolled and if it had remained open in 2018, it would have had just two.
But now campaigners are canvassing local parents to gauge interest in reopening the school and say they’ve counted as many as 30 children who would be eligible to attend – with 18 who could attend if it reopened now.
“I think if the community can come together and provide the names and contact details of the students that are prepared to enrol into the future then there’s every possibility the school could reopen,” Ms Edwards told the Midland Express.
“I’ve been working with them and convincing them that the school is not going to be sold from under them or any moves made to decommission the school until we get a clear picture of what the future looks like.
“I’m really pleased that the community has rallied together to see if they can get the number of students required to reopen the school,” Ms Edwards said.
“It is an important part of that community, and as a central location and community hub, these types of facilities are vital to smaller communities.
“I’m hoping that over the next month or two they can come up with the number of required students that need to be enrol to allow the school to reopen.”
Ms Edwards said she understood that the requisite minimum number was around 20 students.
“I had heard they were up to 18. I think the minimum is 20. That’s just for the first year but then they need to prove there will be ongoing enrolments in the future years.
“So you’d be looking at the growth of Guildford and how many families are actually moving out there.
“I’m hopeful that they will be able to reopen that school. Opening next year would be fantastic.
“If they get the numbers up and the department feels there’s enough to reopen next year then that is a possibility.”
A group of passionate residents has been canvassing parents and petitioning local MPs to reopen the school, potentially as soon as next year.
Guildford Primary School Association president Jeremy Meaden is among those leading the charge and says families who have shifted to Guildford with small children are keen to see the school reopen – a move he believes the wider local community would also benefit from.
