By Aneeka Simonis
RUMOURS that a primary school planned for Officer is no longer going ahead have been quashed by the State Government.
A number of young families who moved into Arcadia Estate and surrounding residential areas in Officer were rattled to hear that Gum Scrub Creek Primary School would not be built and that the land would instead be used for another housing development.
However, an Education Department spokesperson denied the school project had been cancelled and said it was still on track to be completed by the end of 2017.
“That school is absolutely going ahead and those claims are completely untrue,” the spokesperson said.
One resident pointed the finger at a Ranges Ward councillor candidate Shoheli Sunjida for spreading the rumour about the school development.
Ms Sunjida said she heard the rumour from another Ranges Ward candidate.
News that the school was still going ahead came as a huge relief to parents in the area who intended to send their children to the school.
The school is designed to ultimately accommodate about 475 students with capabilities for an additional 109 pre-school students once the integrated early learning facility in completed.
The State Government allocated $13 million to the project in its 2016-17 budget.
