Schools at crisis point over repairs after getting just 10 per cent of funds needed

Complaints of classrooms being too hot, leaking roofs and 50-year-old science labs. This is the shocking picture being painted of public schools.

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SCHOOLS on the northern beaches are approaching “crisis point” after being allocated just 10 per cent of the funding they need to maintain ageing buildings.

NSW Department of Educations figures show schools on the peninsula — which includes Manly, Wakehurst, Pittwater and some schools in Davidson — need more than $19.3 million for repairs and upgrades.

However, the latest figures show this financial year they have received $1.9 million, a shocking shortfall of $17.3 million.

David Ferguson from the NSW Teachers Federation said “the underfunding of maintenance was approaching crisis point” and was affecting learning.

“For example, the union had a lot of calls from teachers earlier in the year when we had very high temperatures and children were too hot to learn,” he said.

Barrenjoey High School has one of the biggest shortfalls in funding for maintenance. Photo by Annika Enderborg

“Lessons were constantly interrupted because the pupils needed extra breaks and some schools were scheduling classes in the libraries if they were airconditioned or were teaching children under trees in the playground. “Even where parents raise money to pay for airconditioning units, schools report that they are banned from installing them because the Government refuses to fund the upgrading of the electrical supply required to safely run the units.

“But we are also talking about problems such as leaky roofs, which if left can lead to mouldy carpets, learning areas being out-of-bounds and other issues of safety. Parents work hard to help schools ... but really this sort of maintenance should be the responsibility of the Government.”

Barrenjoey High School has one of the biggest shortfalls, receiving 5 per cent of what it needs to bring the school up to scratch.

Figures from the department show Barrenjoey High requires $1.7 million, but has been allocated just $86,954 this year.

Kalinda Hawson, president of Barrenjoey’s P & C, said the figure was “disappointing” because the science rooms were nearly 50 years old. However, she reassured parents the school was safe for pupils.

She added the P & C worked hard to improve facilities and, among other things, had raised funds for the installation of Wi-Fi and organised volunteers to help clean the grounds.

Mr Ferguson said the NSW Teachers Federation was calling on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to allocate significant additional funds in the State Budget for school maintenance and new buildings.

“If the State Government can find half a billion dollars to build a tunnel under the Wakehurst Parkway at Frenchs Forest, surely our children in the surrounding schools deserve a similar allocation for permanent buildings that are properly maintained,” he said.

A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education said it was not feasible to have no outstanding maintenance work and all statutory and preventive work was completed as a priority to ensure schools were safe and compliant.

“The backlog maintenance at each school reflects the estimated cost of current and future repair work required to ensure buildings continue to perform,” he said.

He added the 2016-17 State Budget included a record $330 million — of which an expected $10.5 million will go to the northern beaches — over two years to address backlog issues. “The department is currently consulting with principals to plan these works to ensure high priority maintenance items are undertaken first,” said the spokesman.

Mr Ferguson said transferring an inadequate budget onto principals was not fair. “Principals need significant increases in the maintenance budget so they can spend more time on the education of children and less as an underfunded building manager,” he said.

NOTE: The figures do not include Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah because there was an error in the figures provided.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS WITH THE BIGGEST SHORTFALL:

Barrenjoey High School needs $1,733,843, but was allocated $85,954

Terrey Hills Public School needs $388,698 but was allocated $24,882

Narrabeen North Public School needs $564,000, but was allocated $38,573

Elanora Heights Public School need $523,496, but was allocated $42,441

Frenchs Forest Public School needs $469,465 but was allocated $27,055

Davidson High School needs $1,073,184 but was allocated $75,636

Harbord Public needs $$822,002, but was allocated $69,187

Arranounbai School needs $245,845, but was allocated $17,991

Collaroy Plateau needs $669,138, but was allocated $44,844

Fisher Road School needs $376,328, but was allocated $18,434

Narraweena Public School needs $469,309, but was allocated $33,655

The Beach School needs $143,783, but was allocated $9,796

The Forest High School needs $1,079,593, but was allocated $73,750.