Labor has promised to air-condition every public school classroom in Maitland if it wins the next state election in March.
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The opposition committed $800 million to install air-conditioning in every public school classroom across the state in a reply to last week’s NSW Budget.
The promise is a one-up on the NSW Government’s commitment of $500 million towards school air-conditioning from the Budget, and a further increase on Labor’s announcement in March that it would invest $300 million to a school air-conditioning program.
Under the plan, School Infrastructure NSW would deliver the air-conditioning while solar panels would be utilised to help off-set the running cost to each school.
Each school will be audited to determine their individual needs. However Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison confirmed every Maitland classroom would be air-conditioned under the policy.
Ms Aitchison said providing air-conditioning would deliver better conditions for children’s futures, particularly in Maitland which reached “scorching temperatures” in summer.
“How can you expect a child to receive a first rate education in a second rate classroom,” she said.
“It will no longer be up to the hard working committee of the P&C’s and local community to raise the vital funds to install air-conditioning for the safety and learning benefit of our children.
“Every student in the Maitland community deserves a good, quality, well equipped and resourced public school.”
