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The state government has been accused of failing to properly plan for the sharp growth in demand at schools across the Perth metropolitan area, particularly at newer schools that have opened since Labor took power nearly 10 years ago.
Instead, the WA opposition claims the Department of Education has relied on demountable classrooms to accommodate a growing number of enrolments, particularly along the southern growth corridor and in newer suburbs further north.
Opposition education spokesman Liam Staltari said Labor came into office decrying the use of transportables in schools but now, after nearly 10 years, the situation had “never been worse”.
“More than 4000 transportables are now placed across WA schools, crowding out ovals, green space and other areas in schools that are literally bursting at the seams,” he said.
“And nearly one-in-six WA classrooms is now a transportable, forcing students and teachers into temporary buildings that don’t reflect what they deserve.
“At its core, this is the result of a decade of poor planning and underfunding. Even schools established in obvious growth corridors have been underserved and now rely on far too many transportables.”
A new document tabled in parliament shows a list of schools opened since 2017, the number of transportables at each, and the percentage of total classrooms that number is.
In total, 30 new primary schools and eight secondary schools have opened in that time.
More than half of all classrooms at Wellard Primary School, opened in 2018, in addition to Oakwood and Aspiri primary schools, both opened in 2019, are transportable.
At Riva Primary School, currently 38 per cent of classrooms are transportable.
However, a new permanent addition, funded in the 2026-27 state budget, will be constructed to accommodate 240 students and reduce the need for transportable classrooms at site.
But Education Minister Sabine Winton said the fast-growing communities across the state required “significant planning and work” and the government was committed to meeting growing demand.
“Modern transportable buildings are a cost-effective way to rapidly increase capacity of schools with changing enrolment demands, and are an important tool used alongside delivering expansions to existing schools and constructing new schools,” she said.
She confirmed 11 new primary schools and two new high schools would be built between now and 2030 in fast-growing suburbs and regions.
Winton said those new schools would “continue to address enrolment demands and would result in transportables being removed”.
Those regions include Alkimos, Banksia Grove, Piara Waters, Treeby, Brabham and Vasse.
“In addition to constructing new schools, several existing primary schools have projects underway to expand capacity that will also result in transportables being removed, including Brabham Primary School, Harrisdale Primary School and Highgate Primary School,” Winton said.
“The Department continually monitors enrolment trends across all WA public schools and works closely with principals to ensure the needs of schools are appropriately met.
“Our government’s track record and vision for public education stands in stark contrast to the WA Liberals, who committed only 16 per cent of what WA Labor did at the 2025 election.”
She said of the schools opened since March 2017, those planned for under the previous Liberal-National Government had on average fewer permanent classrooms than those planned for and opened under the McGowan and Cook Labor Governments, including the three schools with the highest percentage of transportable classrooms.
Holly Thompson is a journalist with WAtoday, specialising in education and the environment.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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