Melbourne parents and students demand answers as school maintenance backlog reaches $340m

Parents pulling their children from Footscray Primary School say enough is enough. With peeling asbestos-laden paint in the Grade 3 corridor and a leaking roof that's been "patched" for three years, families are frustrated by what they describe as broken promises from authorities.

The sentiment echoes across Melbourne's education sector. A state government audit released last month revealed a staggering $340 million maintenance backlog affecting government schools, with some facilities operating well below safe standards. In inner-west suburbs particularly—where aging infrastructure meets high population density—the impact is being felt keenly.

"My daughter's classroom floods when it rains heavily," one Hawthorn resident told The Daily Melbourne, describing recurring damage to learning materials and disrupted teaching. "We're told it's on a waiting list, but waiting lists don't fix roofs."

The frustration extends beyond primary schools. At RMIT's Brunswick campus on Bowen Street, university staff have raised concerns about aging teaching spaces affecting student experience. With international student numbers rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, overcrowding in tutorial rooms has become a frequent complaint at staff meetings, according to internal communications reviewed by this publication.

Meanwhile, secondary school families in the western suburbs report increasing pressure as enrolments climb. Caroline Chisholm Catholic Secondary in Fawkner, which serves a diverse migrant community, has implemented split-session teaching to manage capacity—a solution that parents argue is inadequate long-term.

"These aren't complaints about comfort," explains a Yarraville education advocate who works with three primary schools in the area. "This is about whether children can learn effectively. Leaking buildings and broken furniture aren't minor inconveniences."

State Member for Footscray has committed to visiting affected schools this month, though parents remain skeptical about tangible outcomes. The Education Department released a five-year renewal plan in April, allocating $2.8 billion across Victoria, but schools in outer and inner-west Melbourne report minimal allocation compared to growth corridors.

University students, too, are making their voices heard. At University of Melbourne's Parkville campus, postgraduate researchers have questioned whether aging laboratory facilities impact research competitiveness, with some reporting relocated experiments due to equipment failures.

As winter approaches and school leaks worsen, Melbourne's education community is united in one message: maintenance isn't optional infrastructure—it's fundamental to learning.

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