Inaction on Margaret River Senior High School growth puts 2025 course options under a cloud

Leadership at Margaret River Senior High School are ringing the alarm bells, raising concerns no help is coming to address critical shortfalls affecting staff and students.

While capacity at the school was a hot election issue, school board president Barbara Maidment said the situation could not wait until next year.

Lack of space and adequate facilities for booming student numbers could also affect course delivery and the options provided to students, Dr Maidment said.

“It is abhorrent that our State Government has turned a blind eye to the needs at MRSHS and seems quite happy to have our students and staff working in less-than-ideal conditions, some of which have become health and safety concerns,” she said.

“The student population at MRSHS has already outgrown projections for the remainder of the build, which should have been completed three years ago.

“The board is working with our Parents and Citizens (committee) to determine a strategic approach to the issue.

“We are endeavouring to ensure that all parents of students at MRSHS are aware of the situation and aware that we may not be able to accommodate all course requests until this build is completed.”

The key issue was the State Government’s failure to deliver outstanding funds for the final stage of an approved upgrade to the school which started almost 10 years ago.

That stage included a new resource library, cafeteria, performing arts auditorium and learning areas for design, technology and enterprise.

However, it was the growing reliance on transportable classrooms as well as lack of space for them and specialist learning areas which underscored the board’s concerns repeated this week.

School leaders including P and C president Joe Forte said the school was already managing the 1250 students anticipated in the unfinished upgrade and growth to 1800 students by 2030 was expected.

“It feels like we have a very comfortable and somewhat complacent State Government who are happy to ignore this issue and kick this can down the road until a more convenient time,” he said.

“They seem to think it’s something that can be addressed sometime in the future, rather than acknowledging the fact that this is directly affecting the educational outcomes and potentially the future options of our current crop of students.”

The Nationals WA and Liberal Party have already committed to getting the expansion project back on track.

State Education Minister Tony Buti’s office did not respond with comment on proposed updates.