Australian Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has pledged $440 million (US$316 million) to upgrade school facilities and improve student welfare if elected as prime minister. In a pre-election speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Jan 25., Albanese said the fund would provide upgrades to ventilation and create outdoor learning areas to make schools safer against COVID-19. “These children have been among the most vulnerable during this pandemic and they deserve a government that prioritises their protection along with their education,” he said. The national Labor leader promised that every school would benefit in some way, with the funds to be distributed to “100 percent of its fair funding level.” It will also bring in more school counsellors, psychologists, and outdoor and sporting activities, he said. “Education is fundamental and essential to the jobs, productivity and prosperity of the future,” Albanese said. “And education is the biggest and most powerful …