[Greens-Media] O'Farrell govt's high-rise public schools plan a disaster for students

[John Kaye]

O'Farrell govt's high-rise public schools plan a disaster for students
 
Media release: 18 October 2012
 
The O'Farrell government is making public school students pay the price for decades of incompetent planning for future population growth and short-sighted land sell-offs, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye ("High-rise plans for city's most cramped schools", Daily Telegraph, 18 October 2012, http://j.mp/RHaCkv). 
 
Dr Kaye said: "For too long the Education Department has ignored population trends while successive state governments have only made matters worse by treating public education as a cash cow.
 
"Labor and Coalition governments sold off public school sites leaving Inner City parents struggling to find a place for their children. 
 
"The shortage of public school places in areas like the Inner City and North Shore is not a sudden or surprising development. 
 
"This government and its predecessor have had many years to plan for the current crisis in public school places.
 
"Education Minister Adrian Piccoli should be working with his Department to urgently begin the process of identifying and acquiring new sites to meet demand for public schools. 
 
"Instead the O'Farrell government's solution is to sell off valuable public school sites like Ultimo Public and shoehorn students into high-rise buildings. 
 
"Public school land sell-offs have already forced many parents in the Inner City, Eastern Suburbs and North Shore to the private sector. 
 
"The high-rise proposal will make public education an even less attractive choice for families.
 
"Primary school children need open space to play. The NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) data from 2010 showed that 22.8% of children between 5 and 17 years of age were classified as overweight or obese.
 
"Premier Barry O'Farrell's plan to force primary school students into high-rise schools is not conducive to a healthy, safe learning environment.
 
"No public school in the Inner City and North Shore will be safe from the O'Farrell government's grab for cash.
 
"The Greens are committed to stopping this disastrous plan from being rolled out at Ultimo or any other NSW public school," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information:       John Kaye 0407 195 455