By Jessica Rowe
Canterbury schools facing closure or merger got the personal touch they didn't want this morning - with Education Ministry officials hand delivering letters outlining the next move in the process.
Students at Branston Intermediate were given the new deadline in class today, and were told they have until December 7 to convince the Government to save their school.
“It is a pity, it includes holidays, where teachers need a good break, but never mind, I suppose I can work for the next two weeks,” says Branston Intermediate Principal Jennifer O’Leary.
“We are going to have a lot of tired people at the end of that 10 weeks because it is extra on top of what we already do, but we have a community right behind us. They use the word fight, I use the word convince.”
Yaldhurst Model School got the letter too, saying the ministry wants to merge and move them.
“So for us that really hits home, that it is in black and white, that the proposal is here, and this is something we are going to fight,” says Yaldhurst Model School principal Anne-Marie Garden.
“It is a kick in the guts, the 10 weeks includes two weeks of school holidays. It is very hard to start this consultation process when people are going on holiday.”
Schools that voluntarily close or amalgamate should say so by this time next month, and by December 7 all schools involved have to say yes or no.
The ministry will review them and announce that result in February. By March those resisting must have put their case in writing, and they will be told in April if they've won or lost.
Branston Intermediate's confident it will convince the ministry to stay open, and is continuing to invite enrolments for the next two years.
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