The WA parliamentary question concerns the impact of a new public-private partnership (PPP) for schools on maintenance priorities and principal's authority over infrastructure decisions. The Minister's response outlines changes in maintenance responsibilities and limited principal authority for minor works.

AnsweredQoN 1103Legislative Council
Asked
14 October 2014
Portfolio
Education

QuestionView source ↗

SCHOOLS — PUBLIC–PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIPS
1103. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for
Education:
I refer to the government's
announcement of the new public–private partnership for eight new
Western Australian public schools and that the minister has said, ''PPP
is a very different way of maintaining school facilities''.
(1) What will
be different for the school principals, school boards, councils and P&Cs in
setting the priorities for the maintenance of the school?
(2) What
authority will the school principal have to make decisions about school
infrastructure—for example, new playground equipment—and
refitting and rearranging classroom structures?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question.
(1) Currently,
priorities for maintenance are established through discussion with the
principal, education facilities staff and officers from Building Management and
Works, Department of Finance. Under the proposed public–private
partnership, the Department of Education specifies the standard of maintenance.
The private company would be responsible for maintaining the school to the
prescribed standard, and this means that the school principal and his or her
staff can focus more attention on teaching and learning to ensure students
achieve their best.
(2) The provisions
of the project deed, or contract, for the proposed public–private
partnership would allow for the principal to have minor works undertaken over
the term of the contract.

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