Oz school bans kids from running around during recess

MELBOURNE - A school in Australia has banned its students from running around during playtime, as the playground is too crowded.

Armadale Primary has also introduced two lunch times and is taking students to the local park to avoid mayhem in the schoolyard.

School council president Bruce Hemingway said the action was taken, as space had been lost to a 2.5 million dollar Building the Education Revolution project.

But he said the Education Department had refused to give the growing school double-decker portable classrooms, which would free up more space.

“It’s appalling. You go to a school as a kid and you can’t run around,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

Games like basketball and four-square are permitted in the playground, but the principal has banned playing chasey or running randomly.

Hemingway said that removing two existing portables, demolishing the old hall and replacing it with double-decker portables would provide more play space.

Parents Victoria spokeswoman Elaine Crowle said many inner city primary schools were pressed for space and BER projects had worsened the problem.

“It’s wonderful to have new facilities, but it’s important to have enough room for children to play,” she stated.

An Education Department spokesman said Armadale had been offered a two-classroom single-storey portable on the old hall site after completion of its BER multi-purpose hall.

Victorian Principals Association president Gabrielle Leigh said that it made more sense for Armadale to have a double-decker portable to free up space and maximise student safety. (ANI)