Many Wollongong students are being made to study in outdated demountable classrooms, some which are more than 20 years old.
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So says Illawarra Labor MPs Ryan Park, Paul Scully and Anna Watson, who expressed “frustration” that there were more than 100 demountables in their respective electorates.
They pointed to figures obtained under freedom of Information laws showing that the electorate of Keira had 63 demountable classrooms, Wollongong has 12 and Shellharbour has 40.
Mr Park, the NSW Shadow Treasurer was particularly disappointed that the NSW Government was spending “$2.3 billion on a stadium splurge” instead of investing in new classrooms or school maintenance.
“Demountables are supposed to be a temporary solution, this has turned into Glady Berejiklian’s vision for NSW schools, it simply isn’t good enough,” the Keira MP said.
Wollongong MP Paul Scully said a Labor government would prioritise schools before stadiums.
“The Government is wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars simply shifting demountables around the state rather than building classrooms – it doesn’t make sense,” Mr Scully said.
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson pointed to West Dapto to stress that the government was not “building nearly enough new schools to cater for a growing school aged population”.
She said Dapto Public School, which had 14 demountables on site was “bursting at the seams”.
“With projected enrolments for this school expected to reach 1065 by 2036, the number of demountables on site could be set to double,” Mrs Watson said.
But Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Gareth Ward said the government’s record school building program underway in the Illawarra will replace demountables with permanent classrooms.
“School upgrade projects in design or planning stage include Gwynneville Public School, Wollongong Public School and Dapto Public School,” Mr Ward said.
“The government is also spending $11,055,852 on planned maintenance in Illawarra schools in the 2017-18 financial year.”
The Kiama MP said that demountable buildings were used to manage changing enrolment patterns and temporary accommodation needs, resulting from capital works and maintenance projects.
“I note that Mr Park is the Shadow Treasurer and has made no funding commitment to any schools in his electorate or our region. This is another example of Labor talking about problems whilst offering no solutions,” Mr Ward said.
Keira electorate (63 demountables):
- Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts – 11
- Austinmer Public School – 7
- Waniora Public School – 7
- Thirroul Public School – 5
- Figtree High School – 4
- Keiraville Public School – 4
- Pleasant Heights Public School – 4
- Woonona Public School – 4
- Balgownie Public School – 3
- Lindsay Park Public School – 3
- Russell Vale Public School – 3
- Bulli Public School – 2
- Coledale Public School – 2
- Figtree Heights Public School – 1
- Nareena Hills Public School – 1
- Woonona East Public School – 1
- Woonona High School – 1
Wollongong electorate (12):
- Gwynneville Public School – 3
- Kemblawarra Public School – 3
- Wollongong Public School – 3
- Mount St Thomas Public School – 2
- Port Kembla Public School – 1
Shellharbour electorate (40):
- Dapto Public School – 14
- Shell Cove Public School – 9
- Oak Flats High School – 7
- Flinders Public School – 3
- Dapto High School – 2
- Warilla High School – 2
- Warilla Public School – 2
- Mount Brown Public School – 1