A HEFTY bill for repairs and maintenance to schools across the state is mounting and regional NSW is over-represented in the list of campuses with the biggest backlog.
The cost of works required to schools across the state tops $730 million, according to Department of Education figures obtained by Labor under a freedom of information request.
Labor leader Luke Foley said the maintenance bill “is spiralling out control,” and highlighted the number of regional schools that rank highest on the list of outstanding repairs.
“It’s very concerning that seven country high schools are amongst the 20 most dilapidated schools in the state,” Mr Foley said.
NSW school maintenance bill rose 36 per cent in financial year 2014-15, when the government spent $158m on repairs.
A spokesman for the Education Department said Labor left behind a school infrastructure and maintenance backlog liability of almost $1 billion when it left government in 2011.
“Since 2011, the NSW government has committed almost $4b to school infrastructure and maintenance, with over $342m allocated in 2015-16 for school maintenance,” the spokesman said.
Labor’s regional regional development spokesman David Harris, principal of Point Clare primary school until he entered parliament in 2015, said Labor’s policy at the 2015 election committed $1.3b to upgrade or reconstruct schools.
He said policy should focus more on providing discretionary spending to principals, to boost regular maintenance and reduce the incidence of major repairs.
“The longer you leave minor things the more costs blow out over time. As a principal you often only have enough money for repairs to urgent safety risks,” Mr Harris said,
“For example we had classroom (at Point Clare) with small leak in the roof but it wasn’t fixed for a few months which caused damage to the ceiling and carpet and we had to close the room.
“The cost of an initial repair bill of a few thousand dollars blew out to $10,000.”
NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli was contacted for comment but is on leave.
