Page 500 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 18 February 2015
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I am also pleased to advise that in 2014 three ACT public schools—Dickson College, Lyneham High School and Lyneham Primary School—were connected to the inner north Canberra urban waterway system. This new system provides non-potable water for school irrigation.
With respect to Mr Doszpot’s statement that there is an absence of heating and cooling in many of the public schools, I assure the Assembly that all schools—I think this has been acknowledged—have heating systems. In relation to the cooling of schools, the directorate seeks to achieve an acceptable comfort level through appropriate environmental design and the use of natural ventilation, minimising the need for mechanical ventilation and air conditioning
In addition, the directorate investigates all concerns raised by schools and assists with managing extreme heat conditions. These actions include rotating classes to cooler areas of the schools, access to water, installing ceiling fans and purging heat from buildings, planting trees to shade buildings and installing air conditioning to administration and library areas and learning support units. On days of extreme weather conditions, and in consultation with central office, principals may even consider a temporary closure.
This government is continuing its investment in education. As the Assembly is already aware, the construction of the new $47 million Coombs primary school is underway. The school will open in 2016 and is the first of several new schools to be constructed in the Molonglo Valley development. It will cater for 720 preschool and primary school students.
The government is delivering schools where they are needed and is committed to continuing to invest in our schools, whether it is expansions to respond to enrolment growth, provision of new facilities for special programs such as the Canberra College Cares facility and the Tuggeranong introductory English centre at Wanniassa Primary School, or major upgrades to the learning and teaching environments at the Yarralumla and Hughes primary schools and now the Curtin Primary School. This government will continue to invest in the safety of our students and staff, including improved traffic safety in our school car parks, upgrades to toilets, improvements to environmental efficiency, improvements to external environments and updates to school entry and administration areas.
As part of the amendment I have agreed to update the Assembly by the last sitting day of June on the improvements in energy efficiency and heating and cooling needs of our schools. This update will provide an opportunity to show the work being done across our schools and the significant investment we make.
I have said we will not be supporting Mr Doszpot’s motion, and this is why I have moved the amendment, which asks the Assembly to note that the 2014-15 budget invests $1.06 billion in our education system and that the Education and Training Directorate has an annual allocation of $20.6 million for both planned and unforeseen repairs and maintenance and an additional $14 million for capital upgrades. The
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