If there is one thing that unites everyone in the St George region it is a commitment to education. We all agree the best start our children can have is to work hard and do well in school.
We are fortunate to have many great schools in our area, staffed by dedicated and talented teachers. But even the greatest school will struggle with too many students and too few resources. And that is the issue the schools in St George are facing right now.
The NSW Government's own data shows many schools are operating with more students than they should. Kogarah Public School operating at 144 per cent of its enrolment capacity. At Carlton Public it is 127 per cent and Hurstville Public school is at 116 per cent.
It is a similar situation in our high schools with Blakehurst High School at 120 per cent of its enrolment capacity, just ahead of Beverly Hills Girls High at 119 per cent.
So why are our local schools bursting at the seams with students?
It is the result of three years of NSW Government planning policies which have pushed thousands of new units into suburban areas, without the accompanying investment in infrastructure.
Units are popular with young families which means thousands of kids turning up looking for a place in a local school. The problem is our local schools don't have the permanent classrooms to accommodate the demand.
At a time when we are looking for ways to stimulate the economy, I can think of no better way than to invest in schools and other facilities for children in the St George region. Let's put people to work by building the extra space our children need.
If there is to be one good thing to come out of this COVID-19 crisis, it is an understanding that overcrowding is not healthy. So let's fix it, starting by investing in our local schools and our children's future.
CHRIS MINNS
