RESTRICTED: Asbestos confirmed in local school

A Department of Education spokesperson says 'the health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff is the highest priority'.

Asbestos was confirmed in the wall sheeting of a room in Calliope State School's C block. Picture: Marian Faa

ASBESTOS has been found at Calliope State School.

On Monday principal Mark Wright issued a notice to parents saying asbestos was present in the wall sheeting of a room in the school's C block.

"Repairs and a professional clean are to be undertaken," the notice read.

"The area will remain restricted until a clearance is provided for its reuse".

A Department of Education spokesman said damage to the wall was discovered early on Monday "before students had arrived for the day's classes".

"The classroom was secured to prevent access and immediate action taken to repair the wall by specialist tradespeople as required by the Department of Education's Asbestos Management Plan," the spokesman said.

"There was no risk to the safety of students and school staff.

"The health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff is the Department of Education's highest priority."

Resident Travis Carpenter has two children enrolled at the school in Prep and Year 1 and posted a photo of Mr Wright's notice on a Facebook community page.

He believed "there should have been a little more concern shown" for the issue.

"The letter was given to our eldest son ... we only found it in his bag when we took out his lunch box," Mr Carpenter said.

"They definitely haven't gone about it the right way."

Others maintained it was not a cause for alarm.

"We all grew up in asbestos schools and houses. The product is not dangerous if not broken," Facebook user Ian Watson said.

Prolonged exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, a rare, aggressive form of cancer.

The Australian Mesothelioma Registry reported 641 Australians died from the cancer in 2014, the most recent public account.