School infrastructure data has sparked a clash between Nationals MP for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy and the Victorian government, with both sides trading claims over the state of local classrooms and the accuracy of condition assessments.

Mr McCurdy said data obtained through a lengthy Freedom of Information process shows several Ovens Valley schools sit well below the state average Condition Assessment Score (CAS), which measures the state of government school buildings on a scale from zero to five, taking into account maintenance backlogs, building defects and damage across school infrastructure.

The statewide average score is 3.48, while Mount Beauty Secondary College recorded 3.23 and Yarrawonga College P–12 recorded 3.22.

Mr McCurdy said the numbers support long‑standing concerns raised by parents and teachers.

“Families in Ovens Valley expect their local schools to be safe, well‑maintained places where children can learn and thrive,” he said.

“These results show that too many students in our region are attending schools that have been allowed to deteriorate under Labor’s watch.”

Mr McCurdy also accused the government of failing to deliver promised school upgrades and cutting billions from education in the most recent State Budget.

The Victorian Department of Education pushed back strongly, arguing the figures cited by Mr McCurdy were outdated and not representative of current school conditions.

A department spokesperson said the condition scores were from 2023 and "do not reflect the current condition of many schools".

The department also said a school’s CAS is only one factor considered in funding decisions, and maintenance work can quickly make the score outdated.

The government highlighted more than $159 million in recent school infrastructure spending across the Alpine, Moira and Wangaratta local government areas, including:

Mount Beauty Primary School where $2.316 million was allocated in 2021–22 and a further $1.37 million in 2023 to upgrade and modernise facilities, including Block C.