NSW to spend $150m extra to fix schools |
The NSW government will spend an extra $150 million a year to fund 500 new maintenance projects at the states schools.
Premier Nathan Rees said the Principals Priority Building Program would install security fencing, upgrade toilets and replace leaking roofs at primary and secondary schools.
In the past, a school might have a leaky roof that led to damaged carpet and paintwork, but money would be spent on "spot repairs"and new carpet and paintwork, rather than outlaying the total cost to fix the roof, he said.
Now the money would be spent immediately to save on future maintenance costs, Mr Rees said.
"These are things that should have been done long ago,"he told reporters at Penrith in western Sydney.
"Were getting on top of it now."
The money is in addition to $878 million already committed by the government for school capital works and maintenance programs.
It will be funded by borrowing against money held in school accounts.
NSW public schools have around $500 million in over 2,200 individual accounts, which is more than what they need for the normal operations.
"We want schools to get the benefit of this money, rather than the governments bank,"Mr Rees said.
"Overwhelmingly, the funds in school bank accounts are monies provided by the twice-yearly government funds."
Mr Rees said the Department of Education would guarantee the interest on the funds invested, and whenever a school wanted its money it would be available.
The government will make public the completion rates of the projects every six months.
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