DET not into mending fences

By Laura Cathery

Glebe primary school may have to fundraise $27,000 to replace its unsafe fence if the Department of Education and Training doesn’t pay up.

President of the primary schools Parents and Citizens association, Karen Berzin, says that the DET will only cover the repair of the run-down and unsightly fencing on Derwent Street.

“There reason for this decision is, of course, that the cost of the repair ($11,000) of the entire fence is much less than its replacement ($38,000),” she says.

Minister for Education and Training and Member for Balmain, Verity Firth, says she visits Glebe Public School regularly and prides herself on having a productive relationship with all the schools in her local electorate.

“I recently attended a Glebe Public School P&C meeting and they raised this issue with me personally. I have asked the DET to consider the P&C’s request regarding the fence,” she says.

The P&C group says they want the repair cost that has been approved by the DET to be used to replace some of the fencing and the rest of the money for the fencing will be fundraised by the school.

“We are also at a loss to understand why they (DET) insist on spending good money on repair, when it is inevitable the whole fence will have to be replaced in the near future,” Ms Berzin says.

Local resident, Lupea Havea, 27, who has a child that attends the primary school, says the run down fence is too low and makes it easy for kids to climb over and use the premises out of school hours.

She says the NSW government should replace the fence on Derwent Street so it is the same as the Glebe Point Road fence.

“If they [the NSW government] replace the old rusty fence with one like the new Glebe Point Road fence it will create a better atmosphere for the kids,” she says.

“It will complete the school if the fence matches the rest of the school. Right now it looks half done.”