Australia: A former Sydney schools director has recalled a plan to move bureaucrats out of a building if it was needed by Bondi Public School

Oceanía/Australia/Octubre de 2016/Autora: Kate Bastians/Fuente: Daily Telegraph

RESUMEN: El Ex-Director del Departamento de Educación Regional de Sydney, Phil Lambert ha dicho que el departamento tenía un plan para mover los burócratas de la Escuela Pública de Bondi si la escuela necesita el espacio para  las aulas. El Sr. Lambert trasladó el personal del departamento de nivel inferior del edificio en 2013 cuando la población estudiantil comenzó a crecer, pero el nivel superior todavía está siendo utilizado por un puñado de burócratas de la Oficina del Distrito de Bondi a pesar de que las cifras muestran que la escuela está en el 141 por ciento de su capacidad.«La intención es que vamos a seguir examinando el crecimiento de la escuela y deberíamos (la población) llegar a un punto, que sería lógicamente conducir a la transferencia de personal del departamento a otro, no me dan ninguna garantía, pero me dijo que debería ser monitoreado y revisado cada seis meses para asegurarse de que estaba justificado para moverlos  ya que eso tiene un costo.»

Mr Lambert moved department staff out of the bottom level of the building in 2013 as the student population started to grow but the top level is still being used by a handful of bureaucrats from the Bondi District Office despite figures showing the school is at 141 per cent capacity.

“The intention was that we would continue to review the growth of the school and should (the population) reach a point, that it would logically lead to transferring department staff to another location subject to ongoing review,” Dr Lambert told the Wentworth Courier from Italy.

“My view was that if it was justified, they would move out and that looked like the likely scenario with the growth in numbers and the movement of staff out of the bottom floor was a signal of that intention.”

“I didn’t give any guarantee but I said it should be monitored and reviewed every six months to ensure it was justified to move them out as that would come at a cost.”

Dr Lambert led the development of Australia’s first national curriculum and is now an education consultant and adjunct professor at the University of Sydney.

On Friday shadow education minister Jihad Dib wrote to Education Minister Adrian Piccoli to question why bureaucrats had not been moved out of the building, which was purpose built for four classrooms before it became a regional office about 30 years ago.

“Blind Freddy could see there will be even more kids enrolling at the school next year because of (The Moreton) development across the road,” said Mr Dib.

He called on the local members Gabrielle Upton and Bruce Notley-Smith to come up with an alternative location for the staff at a meeting with the P & C executive next Tuesday.

He also called on the department to answer questions about how many staff used the huge space after sources told Wentworth Courier there were no more than four staff based there.

The department has refused to answer questions about how many staff are currently located there and what support they provide specifically to the school.

Labor’s Vaucluse spokesman Walt Secord said it was “ludicrous” for bureaucrats to be taking up valuable space which could accommodate up to 120 students.

“Space at the school should be used for the children’s education rather than accommodating bureaucrats who want to have office space at beautiful Bondi near the breezy beach,” Mr Secord said.

P & C vice president Rachel Blackley said department was facing a “costly band-aid solution” to convert their old hall into two classrooms if the staff did not move out of a the building.

“The old hall is used for our philosophy program, our brilliant after care service and for various teaching activities,” she said.

“We are not asking for their space or for new resources or buildings — we are just asking for our space back.

“Dr Lambert has confirmed the top level was to be returned to the school when it was needed so it is now time for the department to follow through with that commitment.

“They need to let us know exactly when they will vacate the classrooms and return the top level to the school.”

She questioned why the staff could not move to Bondi Junction where there was an abundance of office space.

Mr Piccoli said nine extra classrooms had been provided at the school since 2013 to cater for additional students.

“The school has a plan for 2017 and at this time it does not intend to use the old hall as classrooms,” he said.

A spokesman for the department said the staff provided direct support to schools in the eastern suburbs.

Fuente: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/wentworth-courier/a-former-sydney-schools-director-has-recalled-a-plan-to-move-bureaucrats-out-of-a-building-if-it-was-needed-by-bondi-public-school/news-story/bb7ef669e08eec8f7e4d3faa5246978c