Valuable schools facing closure

22/09/2012 8:01:39 p.m.

Jenny wrote:

The Minister has either been misinformed OR she is fronting the most disgusting, unethical, callous social experiment to date!!! Where is her evidence that these proposals will be good for our children's learning. There is evidence that clearly shows that the New Zealand state education system has out performed most of the OECD countries. In 2009 NZ was ranked 5th out of 34 countries across reading, writing and maths. The amount of dollars per student spent on education is in the bottom third of OECG countries. IF John Key really wants to help those that are underachieving then he must address the real problems. It is a myth that school underachievement is caused by bad teachers and schools or our state system. Anybody with half a brain can see it is caused by poverty-Paula Robstock's Working Group Report states 1 in 5 children live in welfare dependent households. The Minister, whose rhetoric contains this gem, 1 in 5 children are failing in our schools. N Z's child poverty is between 16-20%. I believe this is too big a problem to 'fix' in 3 years (election time) and so blaming the schools who are doing an amazing job with teachers who give out of their own pocket is easier. At least it looks as if they are being proactive-they are not!! They are scewing the facts and playing with our children's futures. I will not stand for it-we must all unite and ask for evidence, for facts that are based on truth and are transparent and for a Minister who can actually listen. At the moment we do not have this. I understand that 1 or 2 schools with major damage and small rolls will have to close but don't use the earthquake as an excuse for some National social experiment based on overseas model. For every example where they can show it works I can show an example of failure. We must look at the pattern of success and over time large schools have consistently failed. LEAVE OUR SMALL SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS ALONE.

21/09/2012 10:37:30 p.m.

Lisa wrote:

They have given us no answers to our questions. They have given us to reasons they are closing or merging and guess what how many of our schools don't even fit into this... We won't let them divide us with the politics they are trying to pull. I say we stand up and be the voices for our kids, communities and futures. Enough is enough someone needs to tell us the truth for a change... UNITED WE ARE AND WE WILL SHOW THEM WHAT A BROKEN CITY CAN DO!!!!!!!!!!!! WE ARE NOT THE BROKEN PEOPLE THEY THINK WE ARE... TRY THIS ON US AND THINK WE WILL LAY DOWN AND TAKE IT NO NO NO!!!!! Nothing can break us as a community not mother nature not them either!

21/09/2012 10:23:47 p.m.

Angie wrote:

Hekia Parata Minister of Education Government House WELLINGTON People need to stand up for your rights. Get up stand up Don’t give up the fight.... How distressing for our whanau in Christchurch to hear that the Ministry of Education through the Minister Hekia Parata along with Gerry Brownlee would even announce such upsetting news to the people of Christchurch. It’s bad enough that we are rebuilding after a dramatic life change due to the earthquake and to be told that we will be closing our doors to merge with another school is like the last straw on the camel’s back. The quality of education would certainly plummet. Why? Our children get used to a style of learning, the teaching faculty and the school environment itself. To move them would set them backwards. My daughter is 7years of age and is just starting out on her learning journey. She deserves the best chance that you can give her and not the upheaval that you are proposing. Please rethink about the people and their lives. We deserve your co-operation. Angelique Singh Concerned Mum Phillipstown School