Pupils suffer in reviews of schools

By ALAN PERROTT, education reporter

A series of reviews scrutinising schools has received an A+ for reallocating taxpayer money - but not for education quality.

A report issued by the Education Review Office found the network review process does not pay sufficient attention to results for students, even though this is considered a key focus.

"The findings from this evaluation concluded that while the financial objectives have been largely met, the educational objectives had not been adequately progressed," it said.

The ERO is a Government department that evaluates the education and care of students in schools and early childhood services.

Its report studied the results of a review in Wainuiomata, in Lower Hutt, 18 months ago.

About 90 schools in eight districts have undergone reviews this year, resulting in more than 20 school closures. Vulnerable schools have dwindling rolls and empty buildings, which are expensive to maintain, or they have questionable teaching standards.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard's own primary school in Wainuiomata was closed by a review.

The ERO said the Wainuiomata review had delivered a broader curriculum to students and increasing school rolls, but found the process had damaged the quality of education in some schools.

It suggested this may be because schools were having to focus more on property and finance issues once reviews were completed.

Jane Stowell, principal of Puketurua School, agreed that pupils suffered because of the reviews. Her rural South Waikato school is set to amalgamate with other Putaruru schools at the end of the year.

"I would definitely agree that education suffers because of the review process," she said. "Once it starts you get uncertainty about the future and it becomes a very difficult, stressful time for the community, staff and children."

The president of the Post-Primary Teachers Association, Phil Smith, said the ERO report was unnecessarily harsh on teachers.

"On one hand they acknowledge that reviews are a very difficult process, then they hit schools around the head for it. It's a bit disappointing really and perhaps shows that people sitting in offices in Wellington don't have an understanding of the huge process that these reviews require."

The chairman of the Canterbury Region School Trustees Association, Rab MacDowell, said he had been involved in many reviews and all parties had to be more mindful of the impact on students.

He accepted reviews were necessary as rural populations dropped, but hoped a better way could be found for their implementation.

Mr Mallard said the ERO report provided excellent guidance for future reviews.

Reviews are now being done in Matakaoa, on the East Coast, Wairoa, central Northland, Russell, Upper Hutt, Invercargill, Grey Valley on the West Coast, and South Canterbury.

The Educational Institute predicts network reviews will cost about 500 schools and 1200 teaching positions in the next 10 years.