With a total investment of over $140 million and comprising four stages – early years, primary, secondary and higher education — the plan’s aim, according to the Victorian Department of Education, is “to address local challenges impacting children’s achievement and wellbeing, such as attendance, completing high school and successfully finding pathways to employment”.
The merger of Shepparton High School, McGuire College, Wanganui Park Secondary College and Mooroopna Secondary College in 2020 allowed “the consolidation of previously underperforming schools”, the department said.
According to the department, three of Greater Shepparton’s four secondary schools had over 60 per cent of students in the lowest 25 per cent of academic achievement statewide before the merger. The fourth school had nearly 50 per cent in this bracket.
Moreover, the department considers the consolidation to have enabled a centralisation of learning outcomes, eliminating the need for students to travel between schools to attend classes.
In a media release from December 2022, executive principal Barbara O’Brien said comparing statistical data could pose challenges, particularly with the impact of COVID-19 since early 2020 and the October 2022 floods affecting many GSSC families.
However, GSSC assistant principal for senior secondary – career pathways Ian Goldrick said early data indicated improvements in academic performance, with an increase in students scoring an ATAR between 80 and 90 in 2021 and an improvement in study scores in individual subject areas.
According to the Department of Education, a transformation was necessary to address “limited subject choices, competition for experienced staff and poor educational outcomes”.
However, grassroots efforts to reopen Mooroopna’s Secondary College persist.
“Mooroopna’s community clearly expressed its wish to have its high school back,” Lea Campbell said.
She is the driving force behind the College of Mooroopna Learning campaign (known as the COOL campaign).
Dr Campbell said the closure of Mooroopna Secondary College underscored how important a local education hub was for a community.
“(A high school is) an incredible opportunity to attract families but also serves as a vital hub of employment, drawing in teachers and staff, thereby acting as a source of economic stimulus for the whole community,” she said.
Since January, Mooroopna residents, supported by organisations such as the Goulburn Valley Trades and Labour Council, have rallied to make their voices heard.
Regular meetings have been held to prepare for the upcoming Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria hearings scheduled for April 17 in Shepparton.
Residents have submitted applications to speak at the inquiry, advocating for the reopening of Mooroopna Secondary College.
A town meeting is also scheduled that day in Mooroopna to discuss the inquiry.
