Education: It will take 50 years to bring NSW schools up to standard
ADRIAN Piccoli has spent just $21,500 fixing one of Sydney’s most “dilapidated” primary schools. Its will take another 52 years to bring it up to standard.
NSW
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EDUCATION Minister Adrian Piccoli has spent just $21,500 fixing one of Sydney’s most “dilapidated” primary schools this financial year.
At such a miserly rate of spending it will take another 52 years to bring the facility up to standard.
Auburn North Public School has one of the biggest maintenance backlogs in Sydney, with the Education Department identifying $1.6 million of work needed at the award-winning primary.
The situation is similar at 12 other Western Sydney schools, all needing cash from the Baird government for things like broken windows, blocked toilets and falling down roofs.
Marsden High has a $2.1 million maintenance backlog but just $82,395 has been spent. It will take 17 years at that rate to finish repairs.
It will take 19 years to clear Colo High’s $2.1 million backlog, with just $72,110 spent so far in 2015/16. And Cranebrook High faces a 26-year wait to clear its current $1.6 million backlog, with just $41,260 spent since July 1.
“Western Sydney schools are crying out for attention but at the current rate of funding it will take decades to bring them up to scratch,” acting opposition education spokesman Prue Car said.
“The things that need fixing aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities like broken windows and leaking rooves. The bare essentials students and teachers deserve.”
It comes after The Daily Telegraph recently revealed the public schools maintenance backlog grew 36 per cent to $732 million last year. There are also 4775 demountable classrooms in NSW, up from 4206 in 2012.
Acting Education Minister Leslie Williams said the government had committed almost $4 billion to school infrastructure and maintenance since 2011, including 23 new or relocated public schools and 50 major projects.
He said Labor left a near $1 billion infrastructure and maintenance backlog when it was kicked out of office five years ago.
An Education Department spokesman said the backlogs represented budget allocations “to bring buildings nearing the end of life back to new” and the full, projected expenditure may not be required.
“Maintenance affecting teaching and learning is treated as a priority, as is work needed to ensure the wellbeing of students and staff,” the spokesman said.
“With more than 2200 NSW public schools attended by over 790,000 students, maintenance is prioritised in consultation with principals, with an annual program of works for each school.”
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