Transportable school buildings to hit the scrap heap under $40m state government pre-election pledge
Transportable classrooms would be replaced with new modular buildings at 20 schools across the state, under a $39m funding pledge – see the full list.
Education
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A $39m funding pledge from the state government will allow 20 schools to send their ageing transportable classrooms to the scrap heap, in favour of new modular buildings.
The government says if re-elected, it will swap out the buildings over the next four years as part of a plan to eventually rid all state schools of transportables.
It has not quantified how long that would take, or how many schools still have transportables across the state.
Education Minister John Gardner said the Liberals wanted to make “tired transportables from the 50s and 60s a thing of thepast”.
He said modular designs could provide new classrooms in a shorter time frame with less disruption than traditional construction work.
“Our children deserve a world-class education and these modern modular facilities will enhance the way teachers deliver lessons and improve learning opportunities for students,” Mr Gardner said.
“These new buildings won’t just provide excellent learning environments – they will also support the building industry and local jobs.
“I look forward to seeing these outdated buildings transported to their final resting place.”
Over the next four years, 12 regional schools will receive upgrades, along with eight across Adelaide.
The schools receiving the biggest slice of the funding pie are Fairview Park Primary ($3.75m), Salisbury Park Primary School($3.65m) and Kangaroo Island Community Education’s Parndana campus ($3.5m).
They all sit within marginal seats, and the commitment will potentially bolster the party’s chances in Newland, Mawson and King on March 19.
Other upgrades are planned in 14 other electorates including Stuart, where Deputy Premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan faces a battle led by Independent MP Geoff Brock following an electoral redistribution, and Narungga.
The Liberals will attempt to wrest that seat back from former party member Fraser Ellis.
Mr Gardner said the department was prioritising the removal of the state’s oldest transportable buildings first.
“It is intended that this becomes an ongoing program into the future – there will always be sites that are seeking upgrades and as the oldest facilities in the system are upgraded then in future years the department will be able to move on to the next group,” he said.
Hundreds of jobs are expected to be created over the project’s lifetime.
SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE NEW MODULAR BUILDINGS
Augusta Park Primary School (Port Augusta) – $2.35m
Coomandook Area School – $2.2m
Elizabeth Park Primary School – $206,000
Fairview Park Primary School – $3.75m
Fraser Park Primary School (Murray Bridge) – $2.1m
Jamestown Community School – $1.2m
Kapunda Primary School – $2m
Karrendi Primary School (Parafield Gardens) – $2.3m
Kangaroo Island Community Education, Parndana Campus – $3.5m
Kidman Park Primary School – $650,000
Madison Park School (Salisbury East) – $2.7m
Plympton Primary School – $1.3m
Port Lincoln Junior Primary School – $1.35m
Salisbury Park Primary School – $3.65m
South Downs Primary School (Elizabeth Downs) – $3m
Tailem Bend Primary School – $675,000
Virginia Primary School – $2.05m
Wallaroo Primary School – $843,000
Willsden Primary School (Port Augusta) – $2.1m
Yahl Primary School (South-East) – $876,000
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