EURONGILLY Public School’s Building the Education Revolution project is in serious doubt after its construction company Laing O’Rourke wiped its hands of the project.
The matter is now in the hands of the Department of Education and Training (DET), which is investigating whether the joining of two classrooms and the construction of a cover outdoor learning area (COLA) can be achieved.
A spokesperson for DET said in the current market “the tender process had been unable to realise value for money” with tenders for the work coming in well over the allocated $250,000 budget.
While DET said the project was “still proceeding”, serious doubts over the project had been raised by Eurongilly school’s patron Senator Bill Heffernan and the school’s P&C, with both believing it is ludicrous that the job can’t be completed within the allocated budget.
Senator Heffernan labelled the project over designed, stating anyone would be able to realise that alone, the footings to join the two buildings did not need to be two metres by two metres by 1.4 metres.
“The specifications are over specified,” he said. “They can’t do the job on budget. They (Eurongilly) aren’t going to get it in the end.”
Disgusted Eurongilly could miss out due to the over planning and exorbitant administation and site visit fees, which he believes take up to between $50,000 to $112,000 of the project funds, Senator Heffernan said it was an “absolutute joke” it could not be achieved given other projects in Junee showed it could.
Highlighting Junee’s St Joseph’s Primary School being able to manage and build an 864 square metre multi-purpose centre for $850,000, he said it was absolutely possible for Eurongilly’s project to be completed.
The same sentiments were echoed by Eurongilly P&C president Bruce MacLeod following a visit to Junee schools by the BER taskforce, including head Brad Orgill.
According to Mr MacLeod, the taskforce indicated the management process of all BER projects favoured larger schools, leaving smaller schools in a less than ideal position.
Mr MacLeod believed the project was over designed, leading to a budget blowout and that the school should have been given the chance to
self-manage the project.
“I honestly believe if it was self-managed at a local level, with communication between the principal and the P&C, it would be a hell of a lot cheaper,” he said.
At this stage the P&C believes the project’s future is in the hands of the DET BER asset management office, however, it has been unsuccessful in its attempts to secure any answers about its future.
A spokesperson for DET said no decision had been made on the project, but could be decided in the coming weeks.
Email a friend