MORE than 70 unflued gas heaters at Lavington’s Murray High School should be replaced by the start of next winter after the NSW Education Minister accepted it suffered from some of the coldest temperatures in the state.
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Verity Firth announced Murray High would be included in about 100 schools which be the first in NSW to benefit from a replacement program for unflued heaters.
The Kaitlers Road school will have 76 unflued gas heaters replaced, while Springdale Heights Public School, the only other Albury school on the list, will have four units replaced.
Murray High principal Geoff Mackenzie had received no official notification at the time he was contacted by The Border Mail yesterday afternoon but nevertheless welcomed the upgrade.
“I’m very happy for it to happen, it’s good news,” Mr Mackenzie said.
Other schools in the Albury electorate to benefit are in the mountains of the Upper Murray with Tumbarumba’s high and public schools each having 23 unflued heaters replaced, Khancoban Public School ridding itself of 10 and Rosewood Public School losing seven.
In announcing the changes, Ms Firth said she acknowledged respiratory health concerns surrounding the heaters and had consulted weather bureau data in choosing the schools which will benefit.
“The feedback we had been receiving from school communities in cold areas is that they had concerns about being able to properly follow the guidelines about adequate ventilation while trying to keep the room warm,” Ms Firth said.
“That’s why we decided to target those schools first and they will all have flued gas heaters installed and in place before next winter.
“For the wider replacement program, the Education Department is looking at alternatives to unflued heaters and will determine the most appropriate replacement for individual schools.”
Member for Albury Greg Aplin had written to Ms Firth after she first announced a replacement program in June, urging her to consider schools in his electorate.
“We’re pleased at least that representation has had some impact with the minister and she has taken it into account what was presented,” a spokesman for Mr Aplin, who is overseas, said yesterday.
Editorial — page 24
