Students and staff in Campbelltown public schools are set for another summer of suffering due to the absence of air-conditioning in their classrooms.
Campbelltown MP Greg Warren raised the issue again in the Parliament of NSW this week, criticising the government for failing its duty of care towards staff and students in local schools.
Late last year the state government announced it would cherry-pick 900 schools throughout the state to receive air-conditioning.
Only about one third of the 25 schools in Campbelltown made it on the coveted list despite the government’s own policy stating every school should have made it onto the list.
The policy stated schools located in areas with average maximum temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius or more in January would receive air-conditioning.
In the past two years the average maximum January temperature recorded at Camden Airport – the closest observation station to Campbelltown – was 33 degrees.
In the past 10 years the average maximum January temperature was 30.8.
Freedom of Information requests showed Leumeah High School had air-conditioning in only 20 out of 54 classrooms.
However, it was left off the government’s list.
Campbelltown Performing Arts High School had just 28 out of 53 classrooms air-conditioned while Rosemeadow Public School had only 22 out of 33 classrooms air-conditioned.
Both schools did not make the government’s coveted 900-school list.
“I cannot think of much worse than being stuck in a non-air-conditioned classroom in Campbelltown on a hot summer’s day,’’ Mr Warren said.
“As the Member of Parliament and the parent of two teenagers, I find it deeply disturbing.
“The state government had a duty of care to staff and students but it has clearly failed that duty of care of by not providing air-conditioning in every classroom.
“It’s going to be a long, hot summer attempting to learn and teach in sweatbox classrooms throughout Campbelltown.”
