Education Minister James Merlino said the government was yet to decide on a final site for the school, but said capital funding would flow in future budgets for construction.

“We want to see construction start as soon as possible and have our tech schools opening in 2017-18,” he said. 

“We are working through the best locations for each of our tech schools.”

Mr Merlino made the comments during a visit to Ballarat to spruik funding announcements made in last week’s state budget. Three Ballarat schools – Phoenix P-12 Community College, Ballarat Secondary College and Delacombe Primary – gained some funding to be spread out over future years. 

With the closure of the Ballarat Secondary College’s Barkly Street campus, the $6 million in funding given to that school will be used to bring VCE facilities up to standard as senior students begin their education at the school’s other two campuses. 

“It is definitely needed, particularly with the 7-12 curriculum across the two campuses. We have to make sure we have the facilities here at Wendouree and at the Ballarat East campus to cater for the VCE students,” Mr Merlino said.

“We have to get our skates on because there are VCE students starting next year, so we need to work as fast as we can.

“I know the school is working with the department to get the designs right and get the capital works under way as soon as possible.”

BSC principal Rick Gervasoni said the funding would be used to ensure the two campuses could handle the more specialist VCE and VCAL classes. 

“At this stage, the announcement was for $3 million for each campus, so there will be as close to that spent at each campus as we can possibly can,” he  said.

“We will be looking across the whole school in terms of technology, in terms of the arts and general facilities for students.”

matthew.dixon@fairfaxmedia.com.au