NSW Labor has demanded the state government make good on its promise to upgrade Muswellbrook South Public School.
Speaking outside the school on Monday Labor Candidate Jeff Drayton and Shadow Education spokeswoman Prue Car accused the government of focusing on Sydney while allowing regional education infrastructure to deteriorate.
"The Premier and John Barilaro and the Education Minister are constantly talking about how they're opening new schools in Sydney, well here's the evidence to show they have forgotten about the Upper Hunter," Ms Car said.
Upgrading the school was among a host of promises that the state government made in the region during the last state election.
"It really is a shame that we need to get around to highlighting these issues and commit to funding and in this case, to just getting it done. It's not about the funding it was promised two years ago and it hasn't even started," Mr Drayton said.
"Tomorrow, you might have the Nationals commit to continue it. They seem to have followed us around for the last couple of weeks doing that."
Deputy Premier John Barilaro fired back on Monday afternoon saying the government had called for tenders to deliver the upgrade.
"The tender period has closed and the department is in the process of assessing the applications and will award the contract to a construction company soon. Construction will start this year," he said.
"Labor wouldn't know how to build a sandcastle in a sandpit let alone the schools needed for the Upper Hunter."
Mr Drayton has called for an increased proportion of Hunter coal royalties to be invested in regional education infrastructure.
"Why is it that a kid in Muswellbrook doesn't deserve the same facilities and same education as a kid in Sydney? The money that we send out to Sydney from the Upper Hunter is being used exactly for that," Mr Drayton said.
"We've highlighted a number of issues within education.
"The first step might be just to get those critical areas sorted and then we can work out what also needs to be spent after that."
