Mould and damp discovered at Queechy High School forced the shut-down of the school’s cooking, art and materials, design and technology classrooms before the end of the final 2017 term.
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Opposition education spokeswoman Michelle O’Byrne said students were not allowed to collect their art and cooking projects from the building after mould was identified.
An Education Department spokesman confirmed remedial work addressing the mould were under way.
He said the works would be completed by the end of Term 1 and the school would ensure alternative delivery options for subjects would be in place during the term.
“Labor understands all food in the cooking area was destroyed,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“What monitoring did the Education Department undertake to make sure staff and students did not contract mould-related illnesses?
“Did the Government compile a list of staff who had worked in the building?”
Ms O’Byrne said she was concerned that parents had not been adequately informed about the risks of mould-related illnesses and were in the dark about the progress of works to address the mould issue.
She called on Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff to provide an update on the issue and a guarantee that the building at the high school, in Norwood, would be fit for purpose in time for the first term of school.
The Education Department spokesman said mould was discovered beneath building 4C at Queechy High School, and an environmental hygienist had been enlisted to complete an inspection and air tests.
Remedial works [at Norwood's Queechy High School] are anticipated to be completed by the end of Term 1.
- Education Department spokesman
“[The] environmental hygienist advised the Department of Education that the readings were generally normal and recommended that the rooms could continue to be used with appropriate controls in place, such as opening windows to increase air circulation,” the spokesman said.
“The Department chose, however, to take a zero-risk approach and immediately closed affected rooms to enable remedial works to be initiated.
“Remedial works are anticipated to be completed by the end of Term 1.”
The spokesman said subject delivery would be designed to minimise the impact on students and staff during the upcoming term.