Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill, has called on the Government to explain why classrooms at the former Petersham West St TAFE campus have sat empty for almost two years following the delayed relocation of the Open High School to the site.

Meanwhile, 75% of schools in the Summer Hill electorate have reached or are approaching capacity, including Petersham Public School which is immediately next to the former TAFE site.

The TAFE campus was controversially closed in August 2016, with the relocated Open High School due to open in mid-2017.  However, the Minister for Education has now acknowledged that the school will finally open in July, a full two years after the TAFE campus was closed and a year behind schedule.

150 students will access the site each day once it is reopened as a languages high school.

Quotes attributable to Jo Haylen MP, Member for Summer Hill

“The closure of the TAFE campus was a significant loss to the community and it’s infuriating that the site has sat empty for two years while the Government has dragged its feet.

“Clearly, this transition could have been better handled and the Minister needs to explain the delay to the community.

“Meanwhile, kids are cramped into classrooms across the inner west, including into 25 demountables in my electorate alone.

“It speaks to the serious lack of planning around the educational needs of inner west residents under this Government.

“We need a concerted plan that acknowledges the huge growth in our local population and which gives our kids the best start they can get, not a bungled game of musical chairs with our schools and educational assets.”