Getting School Infrastructure Back on Track in Riverstone
Last year, the New South Wales Department of Education conducted an audit of enrollment growth in the state’s schools at the request of the Labor government.
The audit, which covered the period from 2018 to 2023, aimed to analyze student population trends. The audit revealed significant student population growth in the North-West and South-West growth corridors.
The Schofields-East region in the Riverstone electorate experienced the most substantial increase, with government school enrollments surging from 1,535 students in 2018 to 4,762 in 2023, exceeding the projected number of students by more than 3 times.
The number of students in Schofields was grossly underestimated to the point where actual number of students in this area now is higher than the amount that was predicted for 2041. Three of the top 20 suburbs with the most significant growth were in Riverstone, and another three were in neighbouring electorates like Box Hill and Marsden Park.
Upon taking office in early 2023, I was confronted with the dire situation in our schools. Despite the rapid student enrollment growth, the former Government sold off multiple school sites in the electorate and replaced them with housing.
Riverstone students were crammed into overcrowded classrooms, their playgrounds invaded by temporary structures, and their teachers overburdened. This begs the question: How could such a massive planning failure have been allowed to persist?
The former government’s handling of education in the Riverstone electorate can only be described as woeful. The pursuit of rapid housing development blindsided the students and families of Riverstone.
The Minns Labor government is working to bring public education back on track. Under Education Minister Prue Car’s leadership, the NSW schooling system is receiving a historic boost in funding $3.6 billion across the state.
A multitude of school upgrades, temporary schools and new fast-tracked schools, permanent teaching positions and teacher salary upgrades is just the first step to fixing the mess. Addressing the school infrastructure crisis is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach.
The audit report suggests several actions that can be adopted to address the crisis. Custom school population projections, continually enhancing projection models, engagement with local stakeholders, developing strategic land provisioning strategies, active monitoring of schools in growth areas and short-term enrolment management strategies.
The findings of this report paint a clear image of how the state of schooling was left in when I came into office. I am proud to be a part of a government who values education the way it should be. All students deserve an equal standard of education – and the Mins Labor government is getting education back on track in Riverstone.
