Minister thanks greater Christchurch schools for their feedback

  • Hekia Parata
Education

Education Minister Hekia Parata has today thanked all the schools in greater Christchurch who have provided feedback on the interim decisions announced last month.



Ms Parata announced interim decisions for 31 of the 38 schools affected by the Government’s Education Renewal Plans on 18 February.



Yesterday the Minister announced final decisions for 12 schools that had accepted their interim decisions early.



Today the Ministry of Education has received responses from the remaining 19 schools.



“I would like to thank every school in greater Christchurch that has submitted feedback. I will review every submission carefully before making my final decisions.



"I know some of the interim decisions announced on 18 February were disappointing for some school communities but greater Christchurch has changed, and will continue to change following the earthquakes and the education sector must respond to the changes.



“The Government is investing $1 billion into renewing and restoring the education sector over the next ten years.  At the end of this process, greater Christchurch will have one of the best and most modern schooling networks in the country.”



In order to give them time to review all of the information the interim decisions were based on, schools were given nearly six weeks to provide feedback - more time than is required under the Education Amendment Act.



Ms Parata also offered to meet with the board chairs and principals of the schools affected by the interim decisions. Twelve schools took her up on that offer.



The Minister will announce her final decisions in late May.







Notes:



Of the 215 schools in greater Christchurch, 177 schools, or more than 80 per cent, are not affected by the Government’s proposals.

In summary, of the 38 schools covered in the original proposals announced in September last year:

  • 12 schools now have final decisions
  • Burnham Primary School, Burnside Primary School, Duvauchelle School, Okains Bay School, Ouruhia Model School and Shirley Intermediate will remain open. 
  • Bromley School and Linwood Avenue Schools, and Yaldhurst Model and Gilberthorpe Schools will not be merged.
  • Discovery One School and Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti schools’ will be merged.
  • 17 schools have interim decisions to close or merge
  • Of these 17 schools, 7 should close and 10 should merge (to create five schools).
  • The seven schools that have interim decisions to close are Branston Intermediate, Glenmoor, Greenpark, Kendal, Linwood Intermediate, Manning Intermediate and Richmond.
  • The 10 schools that should merge to create five schools are Burwood should merge with Windsor, Central New Brighton should merge with South New Brighton, Lyttleton Main should merge with Lyttelton West, North New Brighton should merge with Freeville, Phillipstown should merge with Woolston.
  • It was originally proposed that the two kura TKKM o Waitaha and TKKM o Te Whānau Tahi would merge however the interim decision is now for both kura to remain open and one be relocated to provide Māori medium provision to north of Christchurch.

Five schools in Aranui (Aranui, Avondale, Wainoni, Chisnallwood Intermediate, and Aranui High School) had an extended initial consultation period to 7 March 2013. It is proposed those schools form a new Year 1-13 campus. The Ministry is currently reviewing submissions from those schools with the intent of announcing interim decisions on 9 May.

Two schools have already closed voluntarily. Those schools are Hammersley Park and Le Bons Bay.

The Government is building or rebuilding 16 new schools in greater Christchurch.