Major SA public school upgrades behind schedule, may not be ready for start of 2022 school year

A massive $1.3bn schools upgrade project across SA has been delayed by safety issues and budget problems. See if your school is expected to be ready on time.

Half of the 36 public schools undergoing major building and upgrading programs won’t be finished until just weeks before a flood of Year 7s enter high school next year – and only if everything goes right.

Some of the biggest schools – including Adelaide, Glenunga and Unley – are among nine where completion of works is targeted for December.

A further seven high schools and two area schools have a November target.

About 30,000 students will enter Year 7 joining a similar number going into secondary school for Year 8 when term start on January 31.

Several schools have hit latent problems such as asbestos in older buildings being refurbished or demolished, which have already caused delays or budget problems, documents released to the Opposition under Freedom of Information reveal.

Artist's impressions of Unley High School's planned $32 million upgrade.

One of the biggest blows has been the collapse of steel fabricator SA Structural, with the consequent need to find alternative suppliers pushing likely completion at Playford International to February next year and leaving the new science and technology building at Glenunga in limbo.

In February, a 70-tonne crane toppled over at Heathfield High. Fortunately there were no injuries but the accident stalled construction.

A crane fell at Heathfield High School during construction work. Picture: Andrew van der Wolff / Facebook

Fortnightly reports to the building program’s steering committee say five high schools had slippage in schedules or budgets in early February alone.

Education Department executives were confident schools would be ready in time but Opposition education spokesman Blair Boyer warned the tight schedule was putting students at risk of starting high school in substandard conditions.

“These documents lay bare the true cost of the Liberal Government’s underfunding of the transition of Year 7 into high school,” he said.

Artist impression of Adelaide High School’s ‘Hive Building’. Picture supplied by Education Department.

“Delays and cost overruns are putting the transition at risk, and despite Education Minister John Gardner penny-pinching funding back from schools awarded grants under the previous Labor Government, there is still a big risk Year 7 students will spend their first year of high school in temporary portable buildings.”

Glenunga International High School. Designs showing the planned new gym. Picture supplied by Education Department

The department does have transportables on standby to accommodate up to 680 students.

Education Minister John Gardner has said the program, part of $1.3bn capital being invested in schools, was needed to create a modern learning environment.

“We need our Year 7 students to be taught by specialist teachers in the specialist setting offered in high schools, as designed in the national curriculum, and by 2022 South Australian students will no longer be left behind their counterparts in other states,” Mr Gardner said.

The program has been investigated by Auditor-General Andrew Richardson whose report last year uncovered problems such as inadequate information on existing buildings, incomplete forward planning and potentially inaccurate enrolment projections.

The department’s chief operating officer Julieann Riedstra said headquarters was working closely with schools.

“All schools will be ready for year 7 moving into high school next year,” she said.

Glenunga International High School. Artist's impression of the TSL building. Picture supplied by Education Department

“Due to COVID-19 and other unforeseen circumstances such as the collapse of SA Structural, we have adjusted time frames for the full delivery of some projects.

“In response, the projects have been scheduled to prioritise completion of essential learning spaces.

“We anticipate that in most cases adjusted time frames will largely only affect spaces such as landscaping and carparks.

“The department has a contingency plan in place to use temporary buildings to provide short term accommodation should it be needed.”

The program’s steering committee is headed by former premier Dean Brown who will be paid up to $55,000 at $319 an hour under a contract running to the end of 2023.

The biggest budget problem revealed so far was at Norwood Morialta, which is consolidating its two campuses into one at The Parade in a $53.4m project.

A planned new gym had to be abandoned with existing facilities upgraded instead, saving nearly $4m.

Construction at some schools, such as Brighton and Blackwood, are ahead of schedule and at many schools buildings are being handed over progressively to staff and students before all of the project is completed.

Schools with a December deadline are Adelaide High ($23m), Glenunga International ($33.6m), Glossop ($17.2m), Heathfield ($13.6m), Norwood Morialta ($53.4m), Port Lincoln ($15m), Seaton ($20m), Unley ($32.5m) and Woodville ($10m)

Those due to be completed on October 31 or November are Golden Grove ($15.5m), Henley ($12m), Kapunda ($15m), Murray Bridge ($20m), Playford International ($15.6m), Underdale ($20m) and Urrbrae Agricultural ($10m).

Two area schools – Mount Compass and Roxby Downs – also are not scheduled for completion until November.

The $11.1m Mount Compass project includes a new technology and arts building and a resource centre.

The $7m Roxby Downs project involves refurbishments for food technology, general learning and other facilities.