Pool costs drain on Wairarapa schools

A Masterton principal says the decline of school pools in Wairarapa means children are missing out on vital water-safety lessons.

Lakeview School principal Ed Hodgkinson said his decile 2 school has retained its pool, which was installed when the school was formed from a merger in 2004 of Hiona Intermediate, Lansdowne and Totara Drive schools.

Foundation Lakeview principal Peter Debney and Board of Trustees had decided to convert netball courts and build a pool.

Mr Hodgkinson remains grateful for their foresight, he said, despite the ever-increasing cost of pool maintenance and strict regulations.

"The education dollar is tight and money is being pushed into other important areas and not into school pools, which have been left to go to wrack and ruin.

"In Fielding I saw a school pool that had been converted to a fernery and yet we're surrounded by water in New Zealand. It's a shame," he said. "At the end of the day it's all about risk aversion and the potential costs when something goes wrong."

Mr Hodgkinson said the pool was used daily for a Waterwise programme, teaching water safety and a freestyle stroke to all pupils aged from 5 to 15.

According to Ministry of Education statistics, 184 school pools have been forced to close in the past five years, and about 300 pools have closed nationwide in the past decade.

Megan Heffield, spokeswoman for the ministry, said there were 23 schools in Wairarapa with onsite pools.

Schools that have closed their pools include South Featherston School, Castlepoint School, and St Raphaels School (Carterton). Pools have also been lost at closed schools Cornwall Street School, Totara Drive School and Harley Street School, and Bideford School.

Ms Heffield said schools must provide opportunities for students to learn "fundamental aquatics skills" by the end of Year 6 but do not have to operate onsite pools.

"Boards of trustees are able to use discretionary funding, such as fundraising and grants from the community, to build or replace an on-site pool if they believe this is the best choice for their school," she said.

School pools and the costs of maintenance and upgrades are often shared with the community, she said. These arrangements are covered by a lease or licence to occupy under the ministry's third party occupancy policy.

Schools receive maintenance funding for pools in their operational funding, calculated on the size of the pool. Schools with pools get funding for running costs - pool chemicals and water, heating and testing charges - and schools using a community pool can use that funding to pay entry charges and the cost of student transport to the pool.

A quarter of primary pupils are unable to swim 25m or keep afloat, according to Water Safety New Zealand chief Matt Claridge. The organisation was to launch a project to help maintain and develop school pools and teach water safety and swimming to children aged 5 to 10.