Last bell tolls for northern schools

By ALAN PERROTT

Six Northland schools were put on the chopping block by Education Minister Trevor Mallard last night.

The schools, split evenly between central Northland and the Russell peninsula, have until April to convince the minister that they should survive.

The proposals in this latest Ministry of Education network review will see 18 schools reduced to 10 through those planned closures and through mergers.

Only five schools will continue without change.

Mr Mallard faced an emotional crowd of about 200 from several communities when he made the announcement in Kawakawa. Some people were happy with the result; others were angry.

The minister told people pleased by the decisions to restrain their glee. "There will still be people who will be hurting about schools their parents went to, that their children are going to and that won't be there in the future."

A representative of Ngati Hine, actor and broadcaster Waihoroi Shortland, said the closure of three isolated schools, Te Kura o Matawaia, Motatau and Orauta, would rip the heart out of his hapu.

Towai School principal Brent Davies said he was disillusioned by the review process after 33 years of teaching and plans to leave the profession.

Northland is the latest region to feel the impact of the Government's controversial programme of merging and closing schools.

Last year, the future of about 90 schools in eight districts was reviewed, resulting in more than 20 closures.

The 18 Northland schools under review have rolls ranging from 19 to 294.

The rolls are expected to fall by between 6 and 9 per cent over the next six years.

Declining rolls in the region have left the schools 520 pupils short of their total capacity, Mr Mallard said.

If approved, the review will free up $4 million for local education services - $697,000 for the Russell peninsula and $3.3 million for central Northland.

"I want education resources to be spent on teaching children and not on maintaining under-used or empty buildings," said Mr Mallard.

National Party education spokesman Bill English yesterday urged parents upset with school closures to vent their anger through a postcard campaign the party has organised.

Read the Government's news release on the proposal