Woods Megan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Woods Megan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 20 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5511. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
Dr MEGAN WOODS (Labour—Wigram) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Is she satisfied with her handling of the education renewal plan for Christchurch Selwyn and Waimakariri; if so why? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) 
: 
 In the context yes. In the context of multiple earthquakes 215 schools and 69000 learners the challenge to the education sector has been immense. Under these circumstances it was always going to be difficult to have one approach that meets everyone’s needs. Eighty percent of schools are not affected by the proposed closures or mergers. We cannot go back but we can do better and that is why we are investing $1 billion into the education sector and into raising educational achievement across the entire network. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: Given principals’ concerns over the accuracy of the information in relation to roll numbers the number of buildings and the presence or otherwise of facilities such as swimming pools that is being used to determine the future of schools does the Minister have faith in the data that she has based her decisions on; if so why? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Yes I do have faith in the data and the information that the Ministry of Education has used. It has been collected over a period of 2 years. But if schools have other additional information that they would like to contribute I invite—and indeed encourage—them to do so in the meetings that have been set up. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: I seek leave to table four documents. The first document is an email from the principal of Woolston School to me detailing that the information that she has received from the ministry has errors in the number of classrooms no mention of the Canterbury District Health Board dental hub and errors in the roll numbers. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: The second document is an email from Manning Intermediate School to me that details concerns it has with the information it has received from the ministry over the number of buildings claimed to be on its site claims that it does have a dental clinic which was removed in 2009 on its site and claims that it does have a swimming pool which was removed in 2009 on its site. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: The third document is an email from Branston Intermediate School to me that spells out concerns over the ministry’s claims of the building utilisation on its site. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: The fourth document is an email from Greenpark School to me detailing concerns it has over the ministry’s information about the building count on its site and the roll data that has been used. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: Why was there a 17-day delay between Cabinet’s approving the educational renewal plan for Greater Christchurch on 20 August and invitations being issued to the announcement meeting on 13 September which was 25 days after Cabinet had made its decision? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: Invitations were issued on 5 September and followed up on subsequent dates. The delay was as we prepared individual school packs and cluster packs—to have them ready to go. 
Dr Megan Woods 
: Does the Minister consider that her treatment of principals and board of trustee chairs at last Thursday’s announcement meeting afforded them the respect and courtesy they deserve; and does she consider the issuing of colour-coded name badges an appropriate way to inform a principal that their school is to be closed? 
Hon HEKIA PARATA 
: I think that the colour coding of cards was unfortunate. In terms of being able to brief 500 people around a complexity of issues it would always have been difficult to present it in a way that met everyone’s needs.