2000 NSW school classrooms need more ventilation installed

An audit has found almost 2000 classrooms in 354 schools require extra ventilation. See how many rooms at your child’s school need upgrading.

An audit of the state’s public schools has uncovered that almost 2000 classrooms require extra ventilation and will be fitted with permanent automatic fresh air ventilation systems in a bid to stop the spread of Covid in schools.

The NSW Government will now seek to procure ventilation systems and will progressively install them in schools. The systems will operate similarly to air conditioners but instead of hot or cold air will pump out fresh air automatically.

In the meantime, temporary measures including the use of air purifiers will be used to supplement natural ventilation in 1954 classrooms and school spaces while teachers will also restrict the reduced number of students using those rooms.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said schools had adapted the way they use spaces as part of their Covid-19 Safety plan.

“Our focus now is on leveraging the insights from the audit of all our public schools to deliver

permanent improvements to air quality through this investment.“

“The advice from experts is that maximising natural ventilation is the most effective method of minimising the spread of COVID-19 and we will continue to implement measures that support this.”

Originally published as 2000 NSW school classrooms need more ventilation installed