Broken Hill has been plunged into uncertainty amid concerns that one of its high schools may be demolished following the discovery of a mould infestation last month.
Key points:
- An independent hygienist has recommended extensive clean-up work is needed
- Students and staff will now be spread out across various sites in the city
- The education minister says the department may have to demolish the site
Mould was discovered at Willyama High School on January 9, with the Department of Education crediting "severe heat and humidity over the school holidays" as the cause.
Officials were hopeful students would be able to return to campus for the start of term on February 8, however things soon turned dire.
An independent hygienist was brought in to assess the severity of the infestation and upon further analysis recommended that more extensive work was needed.
Parents and staff have been notified that alternate learning arrangements will be needed for the start of term.
Students will be grouped in years and attend lessons at other sites across the city in NSW's far west.
Willyama students will be kept separate from other school populations with demountables coming from Sydney.
The department has confirmed no staff have lost their jobs.
To demolish or not to demolish
Education Minister Prue Car also confirmed that Willyama High School might have to be demolished due to the severity of the mould.
"It's not a matter of going in and cleaning it up, it's pretty dangerous in there," she said.
The future of the Willyama site would be part of community consultation and not a decision the department was going to take lightly, she added.
"We don't want people to be fearful of what decision is being made."
At a recent council meeting mayor Tom Kennedy said he was concerned what losing a high school would mean.
"A lot of people believe that the state government would jump at the opportunity to just have one high school," he said.
"Council is making sure we get a guarantee from the state government that they'll continue to maintain two high schools in Broken Hill."
Fears for student wellbeing
For students set to start high school this year, there are concerns about the effect the disruption will have on their learning and wellbeing.
Cr Kennedy said he was worried that young people had just gotten over the disruption of the COVID pandemic and were now faced with another hurdle.
"Over the past two years or so, kids are starting to get back into that [rhythm], and now poor Willyama are going through effectively another pandemic."
Ms Car agreed, saying her department would do anything in its power to ensure staff and students were provided for.
"The year 7 kids, it's a big transition, it's going to be a different type of transition … it is a hard enough transition as it is," she said.
Broken Hill City Council is campaigning for the state government to provide tuition subsidies.
Entering the unknown
For now, the government is unsure what's next.
Ms Car emphasised that current plans would remain in place for term 1 at least, with hopes all students would be able to return to a temporary school for term 2.
"I really have to say we're at the point where we really don't have a choice, we have to do this; there is no cost in the world that we can't take to protect the safety of kids and staff," she said.
For Cr Kennedy, time is of the essence.
"I'm hoping that if the state government says it's going to take 12 months, they get their act together and get it done in six. Let's get this done," he said.