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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Wiring upgrade refused

 

The Department of Education and Training has refused to consider upgrading wiring at Woy Woy South Public School to accommodate air conditioning.

The request was made after the school's P&C association raised $18,000 to install units nine more classrooms at the school.

The association has been told that air-conditioning of rooms was not part of the school building code and any electrical work required for air-conditioning would not be funded through the DET capital works program.

Last year the association embarked on a program to air-condition as many areas of the school as possible.

This resulted in all demountable buildings, the computer room and seven primary classrooms being air-conditioned.

It soon became apparent that the air-conditioners were placing a strain on the school's electrical system and, during periods of extremely hot weather, the circuits in block "A" were being tripped.

Some upgrading work was done but this did not completely solve the problem.

"Although a sum of approximately $18000 had been committed to install units in a further nine classrooms, we realised that it was not appropriate to spend such a large sum of money in this way until we had checked that the electrical infrastructure could accommodate the extra load," the association told parents in a school newsletter.

"We contacted Energy Australia who have had electrical contractors assessing the school circuits and preparing a report to indicate any electrical work that would need to be done to allow the existing and any further action can be planned."

Newsletter, May 28