In the 2022-23 financial year, 182 schools were assessed as in poor condition, with that number increasing to 221 in 2024-25.
Schools outside of Melbourne were more likely to be worse off, with 19 per cent of rural schools and 14 per cent of regional schools in poor condition compared to eight per cent of metro schools.
Two schools in Greater Shepparton, Gowrie Street Primary School and Grahamvale Primary Shcool, were found to be in poor condition.
State Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad said the report reinforced what she had been told by school communities.
“I have recently visited several schools in my region that are struggling with ageing facilities and long-overdue infrastructure upgrades,” Ms Broad said.
The report examined the Victorian School Building Authority and found that the costings and timelines for upgrades were not always transparent.
The report found that 29 per cent of school upgrades experienced cost blowouts and 25 per cent were delayed.
The VSBA was also found to not always make recommendations in line with its own strategies for improving schools, and it could do more to make sure upgrades meet school needs.
The report also found smaller schools with lower enrolments were often less likely to receive major upgrades, despite requiring significant investment to maintain facilities.
Ms Broad said she had recently visited a school which was quoted $2 million by the VSBA to build new basketball courts, but was able to fund the project themselves for $500,000.
Other complaints from the school include contractors not delivering the right materials and a lack of investigation into complaints made to the VSBA.
“These examples raise wider concerns over the continued waste of taxpayers’ money,” Ms Broad said.
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