STUDENTS ABLE ATTEND A SCHOOL AT ARTHUR'S PASS SHORTLY

The Education Minister today announced that Arthur's Pass school will be taken out of recess in response to the growing number of students in Arthur's Pass village.

``More families, with school age children, are moving into Arthur's Pass as work progresses on the construction of the Otira viaduct,'' Mr Creech said today.

``The Education Ministry has been consulting with the local community about the best way to provide education for the students. Following these discussions I have decided that the increased population and expected future growth warrants the school to be taken out of recess.''

The School went into recess in 1975, and a Correspondence School Unit has operated in the village since 1989.

Mr Creech said that by mid March the roll at the current Correspondence Unit was expected to rise to at least 18, and is expected to continue to rise as an extra eight families move to Arthur's Pass during the construction of the viaduct.

The Education Ministry will continue to monitor enrolments at the school.

``I expect the Arthur's Pass School to be back up and running from the start of Term Two. The Correspondence School will meet the needs of the students until the school is back in business.''