Parliamentary Speeches
Mullumbimby Public School ( 28/06/2007)
Mr DONALD PAGE (Ballina) [4.34 p.m.]: The Department of Education and Training recently refused a request by the Mullumbimby Public School to retain a demountable building. This is a matter of great concern to the school community. Mullumbimby Public School has requested its retention of the demountable building to facilitate the conversion of two small classrooms into one larger classroom with a storage room and withdrawal space for special needs students. The existing classrooms do not meet current size standards determined by the department. By retaining the demountable, the school would have two adequate teaching spaces which, by today's departmental standards, it does not currently have.
The Mullumbimby Public School is being disadvantaged under this Labor Government, which continues to promise more spending on schools but denies funding for older regional schools in particular. The department's current standard for new classrooms is 95 square metres. Mullumbimby Public School has only one classroom that meets this standard. The parents and citizens committee have offered to fund the cost of the conversion of the existing classroom on the basis that the demountable is retained. Though their request therefore involves no requirement for funding from the department, the request has been denied. This school has had no capital works expenditure or upgrades during the term of this Government. Surely it is time to give the school a break.
Moreover, by refusing this request the department is neglecting its responsibility to comply with occupational health and safety standards. Each of the small classrooms in question is currently accommodating 30 students, some of whom are special needs students, in a total area of 54 square metres, with no provision for storage space or withdrawal space. This is well below the 95 square metres standard that the department has now set as the minimum requirement. This means that there are 30 students in a room of inadequate size, with no space for them to store their bags and equipment. Instead, their already cramped conditions are exacerbated by having to provide space for cupboards and shelves for storage. The cramped conditions create potential hazards for both students and teachers in moving around the room. In addition, the special needs students have nowhere to withdraw to when they need a break away from the other students or require one-on-one tutoring.
Mullumbimby Public School is trying to maintain its enrolments in an extremely competitive environment. It is competing with the local Catholic school, a Steiner school, a Christian school and a Seventh Day Adventist school, all of which have good funding budgets and good school facilities. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult for the students and their parents and the staff and teachers at the school to take full pride in their school when they operate in the shadow of these good private facilities. The department has stated that it would consider increasing the existing teaching space at Mullumbimby Public School if the school's enrolments were to rapidly increase. This scenario is highly unlikely in the extremely competitive educational environment. In addition, the Byron Shire Council, whose policies determine development in Mullumbimby, currently has a moratorium on building in the area, which means population growth is extremely limited.
Public education desperately needs more support from the State Government in order to provide better learning facilities and outcomes for the children of this State. Students in the public education system deserve better. This Government's policy in relation to education is inequitable and favours the newer, more financially viable schools, while the older schools and the students who attend them are left out in the cold when it comes to funding. I believe public education is for everyone and should not disadvantage those children in the community whose parents are not able to afford to send them to a privately funded school.
It is a disgrace that this school community is so desperate for extra space that they are willing to raise the money to pay for the refurbishment themselves. However, the department is still refusing to accommodate their request by allowing them to retain the demountable classroom, which is already on site. This proposal requires no financial input from the Government whatsoever. The department's refusal makes no sense, especially when half of the school's existing classrooms are below the minimum standard that the department has set. This school community should not be in the position of being so desperate for space that it is offering to pay for the work required to enlarge an inadequate classroom.
I am afraid that we are witnessing yet another example of this Government's Sydney-centric policies. This regional school, which is central to the Mullumbimby community, has been severely neglected for funding, receiving no funding for capital works from this Labor Government. I am sure there are many more regional schools with a similar story to tell. This school is not asking for any more than they already have. They are simply asking to retain the meagre facilities they are managing to make do with. Is that really too much to ask of this Government? I call on the Minister to investigate the Mullumbimby Public School's case as I have outlined this afternoon and allow the school to retain the demountable classroom that is already on site.
