Port Kennedy to have new state of the art primary school in 2000

1/2/99

The State Government will build a new state-of-the-art primary school in the thriving community of Port Kennedy to open for the start of the 2000 school year.

Education Minister Colin Barnett announced today the school would be built in the southern part of Port Kennedy and was expected to open with about 300 students from kindergarten to year seven.

Mr Barnett said the school, expected to be called South Port Kennedy Primary School, would relieve student enrolment pressure on the existing Port Kennedy Primary School.

The Minister said an exciting move for Western Australian education, South Port Kennedy Primary School would be the first in the State to be designed with allergy-sufferers in mind.

"The school will be designed with the assistance of the Allergy Research Foundation which showed interest last year in assisting the Government to design a school which would be friendly to allergy-sufferers," the Minister said.

"The kinds of materials used in schools, the floor coverings and paint, and the ventilation can make a huge difference to asthmatics and other people with allergies. "Where practical, we would like to be able to reduce allergens such as dust, dust mites and pollen to increase the comfort of students and staff."

South Port Kennedy Primary School will be built on Endeavour Drive with 12 general classrooms and three pre-primary classrooms - two for five-year-olds and one for four-year-olds.

Students and staff will also enjoy the benefits of a library-resource centre, covered assembly area and canteen, art-craft and music rooms and a dental therapy centre.

To make the most of the State Government's four year $100 million commitment to information technology in schools, the school will also be wired with fibre optic cabling.

Allergy Research Foundation executive officer Max de Grussa said about 15 per cent of Western Australian children suffered from respiratory problems related to allergies.

Mr de Grussa said Australia had one of the highest numbers of allergy-sufferers in the world with WA having the most of any State.

"The Allergy Research Foundation has previously worked with Homeswest to design five low-allergen homes at Ellenbrook, which were completed last year, and so far anecdotal evidence shows families in the low-allergen homes are experiencing much better health," he said.

Mr de Grussa said measures to decrease allergens might only cost five per cent more than a regular school.

He said Mr Barnett and the Education Department were to be congratulated for their support for the project.

"The Allergy Research Foundation is very pleased the Minister and Education Department are showing such innovation," he said.

Mr Barnett said he would watch with interest the health of students at South Port Kennedy Primary School to see the effects of any low-allergen measures.

Media contacts: Justine Whittome, Minister's office, (08) 9222 9699

Inga Butefisch, Education Department of WA, (08) 9264 5348