School closures and mergers mismanaged

new-zealand-labour-party

Fri Jul 08 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

School closures and mergers mismanaged

Friday, 8 July 2011, 2:05 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Clare CURRAN
MP for Dunedin South
8 July 2011

School closures and mergers mismanaged

Labour’s Dunedin South MP Clare Curran is warning that the Government’s mishandled plans to close and merge several schools is a forerunner of worse to come.

Anne Tolley announced today that five South Dunedin schools would be closed and merged into two. College Street School, Caversham School, and Calton Hill School will merge to become one full primary school on the site of the present Caversham School, with a second campus at Calton Hill. Macandrew Intermediate and Forbury Schools would be merged to form one full primary school, located at the Macandrew Intermediate site.

“The Minister’s decision to merge Forbury School and Macandrew Intermediate was made without cognisance of what the community was telling her,” Clare Curran said.

“Her Ministry did not allow the schools the courtesy of telling their own staff and pupils of the outcome, instead releasing the decision to the media while the principals and Board of Trustees were being informed. This shows callous disregard of the impact of these decision on the local communities”

“These schools cater for a significant and close-knit community, many of whom are on low incomes and rely heavily on public transport. Closing them will cause considerable hardship for numbers of families. Hopefully it will not disadvantage our children’s prospects of getting the best possible education.

“While I hope South Dunedin schools will be delivering quality education long into the future, the Minister’s approach does not provide confidence,” Clare Curran said.

ENDS

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