Parents fear children are being sent back to asbestos-riddled classrooms at Queensland school

Parents are terrified their children are still being exposed to asbestos at a Queensland primary school, alleging a patch-up job has not made the classrooms safe.

A teacher reported seeing dust falling from a ceiling at the Rochedale state school, south of Brisbane, on 8 March, leading to the evacuation of two classroom blocks housing year 1, 2 and 3 students.

Some mothers, who did not wish to be identified, sobbed while sharing concerns their children may have long-term health effects from exposure to asbestos, which can cause lethal disease.

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“Ongoing air monitoring in these classrooms and physical inspections of the ceilings will continue until the scheduled removal occurs in the Christmas holiday period in order to provide an additional level of assurance to the school community,” it said in a statement.

“Advice from experts is that all the classrooms are safe for staff and students to return,” he said in response to a question from the shadow education minister, Christian Rowan.