Students, staff in limbo after school mould discovery

Parts of an outback NSW school could be demolished due to rampant mould as the state pushes for more federal funding for public classrooms.

With Premier Chris Minns and his deputy spruiking two new and refurbished facilities on Thursday, more than 600 students at Willyama High School in Broken Hill faced relocation due to their unusable building.

The mould was discovered during the school holidays and Education Minister Prue Car, the state’s deputy premier, admits she did not initially realise how serious the situation was.

An independent hygienist later warned it was not safe for students and teachers to return to the facility.

Ms Car said it was possible some buildings needed to be demolished but all options were still being considered.

“We’re being totally transparent and we have communicated constantly with the community,” she said.

“To say this is a far less than ideal situation is an understatement; we do not want this happening anywhere.”

Willyama High students have been separated into three groups to begin term one at other schools in Broken Hill.

As public school pupils across the state returned to campuses following summer holidays, the premier welcomed those enrolled at the newly opened Jerrabomberra High School in southern NSW.

His government has committed to increase spending on school infrastructure, particularly in fast-growing areas, while negotiations continue with federal Labor about an ongoing public-school deal.

The state has pledged to increase its level of funding to 75 per cent of the schooling resource standard – a needs-based assessment of schools’ funding needs introduced under the Gonski reforms – by 2025.

The federal government is under pressure to lift its 20 per cent contribution to 25 per cent in a new agreement, however it has only offered to lift its share to 22.5 per cent.

Mr Minns vowed to continue pushing for the additional funding.

“We’re doing our bit and so is every other state but when it comes to agreements between the state and the Commonwealth, the full Gonski amount from the commonwealth government needs to be supplied,” he said.

“They’ve got deeper pockets, we’re not asking them to shoulder the majority of the builds or wages or conditions for those that work in education, we’re just asking them to do the bit that they previously agreed to.”