BY XANTHE GREGORY

The Labor Opposition has slammed the NSW Government for failing to deliver new schools despite the Department of Education’s promises.

Freedom of Information documents revealed by the party show nearly 40% of schools across the Hunter are at capacity.

Education Minister Stokes vowed to build a dozen new schools every year to cope with increased pressure on schools, but Labor claim $870,000 has been spent transporting demountables to NSW schools, with almost 4200 of those temporary structures aged at more than 20 years old.

Shadow Minster for the Hunter Kate Washington says “students in the Hunter deserve better than being crowded in cramped classrooms or forced to learn in demountables.”

Jihad Dib, Shadow Minster for Education, also criticised the Government’s solution saying “we have been facing increased population growth in our communities for some time and the Liberal-National government has paid lip-service to tackling the issue.”

The issue of overcrowded schools is not only a problem in the Hunter as over 600 schools across the state are at or above 100% capacity.