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 New school hall won't seat all students 

New school hall won't seat all students

25 Nov, 2009 08:30 AM
Parents of students attending Mount St Thomas Public School are angry their school is getting an "off-the-shelf" hall when private schools are building bigger and better halls for a fraction of the cost.

The biggest concern of the school's P&C is that their new $2.5 million hall will not be large enough to seat all students.

A Mercury investigation of progress across the region reveals site preparations have begun after the school was awarded $2.5 million for a new hall, canteen and covered outdoor learning area from the Federal Government's $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution.

But P&C president Tracey Kirk-Downey is outraged that the new hall will not accommodate enough seats for all 320 students. The only way the entire school will fit in the hall is if students sit on the floor.

"This money comes along once in a blue moon and with $2.5 million we were hoping to get a hall that fits all of our children in on a chair," Ms Kirk-Downey said.

"It is unreasonable to expect children to sit through presentations and assemblies on their bottoms on the floor."

Ms Kirk-Downey said one private school had built a 1000-student hall for just $800,000 and Mount St Thomas could have achieved something similar if schools were given the power to decide how to spend their stimulus funding.

"Private schools are constructing purpose-built halls and facilities, while we are getting a standard Department of Education 'off-the-shelf' kit hall," Ms Kirk-Downey said.

"It works out to about $13,000 per square metre which we don't think is very good value."

Ms Kirk-Downey said she had written on behalf of the school community to NSW Minister for Education and Training Verity Firth, requesting she intervene to ensure the school receives a larger hall, instead of the proposed size.

Cunningham Labor MP Sharon Bird said she had conveyed the P&C's concerns to Ms Firth.

"It should be noted that whilst the Commonwealth Government is funding school projects, delivery of the projects are the responsibility of the NSW Government and managing contractor."

Gilmore Liberal MP Joanna Gash said individual P&Cs should have been given control of cash.

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Mt St Thomas is a progressive and innovative school, it is a shame they should get second best for their students. Sit on the floor? Kids might not mind, but what a bout school functions, concerts, parents attending things there - are they to sit on the floor to? Come on!
Posted by Fergie, 25/11/2009 11:48:30 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
It's ok for parents to sit back now and be armchair critics but where were they when decisions were being made quotes gathered. Too little too late. Just suck it up now because nobody spoke up when it counted.
Posted by critics, 25/11/2009 11:49:54 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
It really annoys me when people like 'blue' go ooonnnn about 'my tax dollars'. I'm sure you benefit from YOUR tax dollars yourself by using the roads, transport, health care etc etc the list goes on. Unless your loaded, YOUR tax dollars probably don't go very far at all so get over yourself Rockafella!
Posted by shallow Hal, 25/11/2009 11:54:27 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
Our 'NEW' hall being built at East Woonona public school is just not for the students who attend there, it is a school and community hall. We are grateful that we are getting a new hall, but after working in the Public Works Dept. in Wollongong, and dealing with tender applications everday, I know how the system works. Only a handful of contractors and subbies will get the benefit of the stimulus money. It doesn't matter if a tender is cheaper for a bigger building, the systems are rigid and it easier to go with a 'preferred' contractor, than to go with and 'unknown' contractor. It just makes the whole process easier for the Works Dept, because they are very understaffed. Some of this money should have been spent on employing inspectors for the dept. and then PROPER tenders and processess could have been used to get it right and what's appropriate for each schools needs. the NSW Govt. have got it wrong again, but people won't know about it because if you work for the govt. in any dept. then you have to 'TOE THE LINE' and never ever speak out and let the public know what they are doing with your money. This has been going on for years and years and will never change, they don't care
Posted by Count, 25/11/2009 12:27:04 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
I think some forumites have missed the point here. The focus is not whether kids should sit on the floor, it is about whether our schools are being ripped off. I have to agree that $2.5M sounds like alot of money and you would expect a decent sized hall. What would happen if you borrowed $400K to build a house and then the builder tells you, you can only have a 1 bedroom house for that much? Is it the builders who are overcharging or is it Government who have not it managed it well? Either way, taxpayers are paying for it and someone should be held accountable to ensure our schools get the best bang for their buck.
Posted by Johnp, 25/11/2009 12:32:04 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
The answer you are seeking johnP, is in my posted comment before.. The govt. don't have the resourses in the Public Works Dept(PWD) to do the tender process, and the contractors are 'GIFTED" the contract because the PWD know who they are, and have dealt with them before. Preferred is the word they use. Then the contractors know that they are preferred, and can put in any price they want because they know that they are up against NO opposition in the tender process. It's a win - win for both the contractor and for the PWD, because they don't have to really go through the tender processess because of prior knowledge of the contractor. In the mean time, it's our money that is being spent, with no guarantee what or where you money has been spent and where it was value for money. The list of preferred contractors for the PWD is fairly small, whether it be for electrical, plumbing, painting, civil works or any other works that they look after on behalf of the NSW govt. So the preferred contractors make a killing from the public purse, and this is because of a lack of inspectors within the PWD itself. I have seen money being wasted time and again, because it is easy to spend someone elses
Posted by Count, 25/11/2009 1:25:11 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
If they can't sit on chairs, then bench seats should see them all up and off the floor, if that's what this is really about. Benches use much less space.
Posted by Sailor Gal, 25/11/2009 3:47:57 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
As a previous student of the school, I believe that like many others here that this complaint is an overreaction. When I attended the school just over 2 years ago, it wasn't uncommon for us to sit on the ground during assemblies and presentations, so I don't see why there is suddenly a huge problem with this now. Even now while I am attending a private high school, at almost every assembly the whole school has to sit on the floor in the school hall. The school should be happy that they are recieving this money to build this hall, and not complaining about the size of it.
Posted by Lucinda, 25/11/2009 4:15:56 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
Try not to shoot the messenger, the kids, teachers, parents or school are not the problem. It is the State Government ... again. The hall is not being built for the kids, staff, school or wisely. It is being built for the local politicians to have their photos taken. Considering the comments above it is a wonder the Illawarra gets anything. I'm sure all you floor sitting, half baked posters experienced your academic zenith in primary school too. Like everything the State government does it is half conceived, costs at least twice as much as similar commercial activities.
Posted by stuntcar, 25/11/2009 5:25:33 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
people need to realise it's not about the children sitting on the floor they have 2.5mil to build a hall and realistly do you think it will cost that much NO!! if they are going to build a hall they may as well build it right the first time so they won't have to use your TAX payers money later on when they need to extend it because it's to small, as a mother who's daughter attends mt st thomas i don't have a problem with my daughter sitting on the ground but what about all the parents and grandparents that will attend the assemblies and presentations what are they to sit on the ground as well or stand the whole assembly or stay outside looking in because there is no room for them. To all you critics out there how about you support our local schools and students and parents instead of SITTING on your CHAIR critisizing people. now for fun go and sit on your floor for an hour and see how you like it your back hurt yet????
Posted by dee, 25/11/2009 11:09:07 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
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Not big enough: Mount St Thomas P&C president Tracey Kirk-Downey with her daughters Claire, 12, and Lara, 8. Picture: GREG TOTMAN
Not big enough: Mount St Thomas P&C president Tracey Kirk-Downey with her daughters Claire, 12, and Lara, 8. Picture: GREG TOTMAN
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