Parents at one of Canberra's last schools affected by asbestos-contaminated decorative sand have voiced growing frustration over what they describe as inadequate communication and unpredictable closure schedules.
Last-Minute Notifications Cause Family Stress
Ngunnawal Primary School families have endured four consecutive days of uncertainty, receiving closure notifications as late as 8pm the evening before school days. The situation has created significant challenges for working parents trying to arrange childcare and manage employment commitments.
Jason Taylor, president of the school's parent and citizen association, explained the practical difficulties families face. "It's been hard for families to plan for the week when they're waiting each day to hear if their school will be open," Mr Taylor stated.
He emphasized that his concerns weren't directed at school administration but rather the education directorate's communication strategy, which he described as "done on the run and a bit piecemeal."
Education Officials Acknowledge Communication Failures
Education Minister Yvette Berry conceded that communication with parents hadn't met expectations. "We acknowledge that sometimes the communication hasn't been as good as we would have liked," Ms Berry said. "We've learned from that and we'll continue to work with our communities to make sure we get it right."
Education Director General Jo Wood defended the dynamic nature of the clean-up schedule, explaining that each school presented unique challenges. "The schedule of schools has been pretty dynamic because it is dependent on the site and the spread of the product," Ms Wood stated.
She added that assessors couldn't always predict how long each clean-up would take, leading to frequent schedule changes. "We have not gone out with that kind of information because it was changing all the time and would have caused potentially more confusion."
Calls for Systematic Review and Long-Term Solutions
Mr Taylor expressed concern that the asbestos issue might persist for years, citing the minister's own admission that contaminated sand continues to be discovered. He called for a comprehensive assembly review of the entire clean-up process.
"There's a lot of questions that need to be answered," Mr Taylor said, highlighting the need for transparent explanations about why some schools remained closed longer than others.
The parent representative noted that clear communication about the reasons behind extended closures would help alleviate community anxiety. "If there was some clear communication about whether the school was further down the list or required more complicated processes, that would just alleviate things," he explained.
The situation has been particularly challenging for parents with inflexible work arrangements, including tradespeople and contractors who struggle with day-by-day notifications.
After four days of closures, Education Minister Berry announced at the 6pm update on Thursday that Ngunnawal Primary School would reopen on Friday, November 21, providing some relief to affected families.
