Cleaning services 

As part of the NSW Government’s commitment to review contracting arrangements for cleaning in public schools, a broader assessment of whole-of-government cleaning services was undertaken. The review identified opportunities to strengthen service delivery, improve oversight and better support the workforce – particularly in education settings.  

As a result of the review, the NSW Government announced that the Department of Education will assume responsibility for managing the new cleaning arrangements from 1 January 2026. These arrangements will apply to all public schools, as well as participating whole-of-government agencies. 

Public schools and other Department of Education sites accounting for up to 78% of the current contract value. The department has demonstrated its capability in managing large-scale in-house and contracted services and are well placed to lead this work across NSW. 

This change presents an opportunity to better align service delivery with the needs of schools and participating whole-of-government agencies, while also continuing to support fair employment and working conditions, consistent cleaning standards, and clearer operational oversight. 

The 2026 cleaning services arrangements will be conducted in 2 programs:

1. Whole-of-government cleaning contracts to support most regions across NSW, except for Hunter and Central Coast. 
2. Direct employment of cleaning services staff for Hunter and Central regions.

Whole-of-government 

The current whole-of-government cleaning contract arrangements, managed by NSW Public Works, will remain in place until they expire on 31 December 2025. Cleaning services at sites covered under the current arrangements will continue without disruption during this period. 

The department will lead the procurement process for new whole-of-government cleaning contracts for all regions except the Hunter and Central Coast. The new contracts will commence on 1 January 2026. 

Transition planning is already underway to ensure a smooth handover and uninterrupted service delivery under the new model.  

Hunter and Central Coast  

In the Hunter and Central Coast regions, the NSW Government will introduce a direct employment program from 1 January 2026 as part of the broader reform. Under this model, cleaners will be employed directly by the Department of Education. 

The Hunter and Central Coast regions were selected for this initial direct employment program as the networks include a mix of metropolitan and regional schools and government facilities to inform future approaches to the provision of cleaning services in both regional and metropolitan NSW. 

This program will provide valuable insights into how direct employment can support fair wages, manageable workloads, and stronger local connections with communities. 

Award negotiations to enable direct employment in the Hunter and Central Coast regions began in June 2025. 

Next steps

A governance framework has been established, with steering committees, working groups, and communities of practice to guide implementation and ensure service needs are understood across the department and participating agencies. 

More information will be shared as it becomes available. 

Feedback to support the 2026 cleaning arrangements 

We value your feedback and insights. Please complete the short feedback form to share your thoughts which will help inform the plans and delivery of the 2026 whole-of-government cleaning arrangements as well as the direct employment of cleaning staff in the Hunter and Central Coast regions.

If you have any questions, please email CleaningServices@det.nsw.edu.au.