A new Reception to Year 12 School is required in the new Munno Para areas, according to Member for Light Mr Tony Piccolo.

Mr Piccolo confirmed this week that he had nominated an additional school for the greater “Playford Alive” region as a priority in his budget submission.

Mr Piccolo said that he had written to the Minister for Education, Susan Close at the beginning of the year calling for planning to begin for a new school.

“I raised this with the Minister following complaints from local residents whose children could not attend Mark Oliphant College (MOC) because it was at capacity,” Mr Piccolo said.

In his letter to the Minister, Mr Piccolo stated that “through my normal engagement with local school communities...I have received complaints from families in the Munno Para and Munno Para West areas that they are having difficulty in enrolling their children into Mark Oliphant College.”

“While it is great news that families are returning to public schools in the area, it is a concern that children and young people cannot attend their local school,” Mr Piccolo said.

“I am aware that MOC is a Public Private Partnership build, and has already been expanded once since it opened.

“I have asked the Minister what plans are in place to build a second school in the area to accommodate new communities currently under construction.

“As result of land rezoned for residential development in early 2014, the Munno Para areas population will grow.

“I have met with the Minister on a number of occasions to press the need to start planning for a new school immediately. The Minister recently advised Mr Piccolo that a ‘feasibility’ process has commenced to identify a location and the type of school required.

“The feasibility process is a preliminary but important step in the process that will help ensure the proposal stays on the agenda,” said Mr Piccolo.

“I have also indicated to Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis that funding should be made available in the budget to commence the detailed planning and design process, to enable the school to be funded for construction as soon as possible.”

“It is great that the Playford Alive area is doing so well, but now we need the social infrastructure in place to support the communities in that area,” he said.