It is understood that the NSW state government is looking for a new model of classroom more aligned with contemporary social benchmarks around responsive learning environments. In late November NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes invited the building and construction industry to develop flexible, prefabricated classrooms that can be built rapidly and efficiently.
Ideally the structures, which the department of education is describing as “modern modular buildings” should be designed for multiple use and use a range of building materials.
“We’re looking for innovative designs that will deliver high-quality classrooms that are great spaces to learn while remaining flexible for a public education,” Stokes reportedly said. “We need to be able to construct permanent buildings which are responsive to demand and growth in student populations.” At the time of writing, options being proposed by the department of education include a staged rollout worth as much as $2 billion.
The result could be a reduction in the number of demountables in NSW by up to 4000. ■
