Turei Metiria: General Debates 
Turei Metiria: General Debates 
[Volume:614;Page:10593] 
METIRIA TUREI (Green) 
: 
 The Greens oppose the Government’s current school network review process. A number of our members have been involved with many of the communities that are affected by network reviews and in a few cases there has been some agreement that it is appropriate for schools to close. It is true that some schools are failing and without intervention and support they will simply flounder until they do—inevitably—close. On a case by case basis school closures are a normal part of the administration of the Ministry of Education but this current process is not normal. It is not done on a case by case basis. It affects not only those schools that need to close for sound educational reasons but also those schools with growing rolls community support and excellent Education Review Office reports. Such schools are also under threat of closure in this process. 
This process is a full-scale purposeful attempt to rationalise all schools in order to extract from those closures money that will eventually be put towards the consolidated account. Through this process the community parents and children who suffer this are promised a chance to contribute but in the end their views informed by knowledge of the children’s educational and social needs and by their experience of their wider communities will not prevail over the ministry’s agenda. 
The guiding principle for the Greens’ approach to network reviews and school closures is that children belong in their own communities. From this principle the first issue to focus on is the quality of education for children. One of the criteria for quality education is access to education that is local and community-focused. Support for children in their own communities means that children know the people around them children are known by name and children feel secure in their environment and confident that the place is their place. 
 Another guiding principle for the Greens is that the proposed changes are analysed in terms of community development. We want to ensure that the infrastructure of communities is maintained as part of our support for regional areas. Keeping integrity with regional development is absolutely crucial if we want to build economic and social viability in regional areas and relieve cities of the increased pressure on infrastructure from increased population growth. There must be good services for families in rural and regional areas as part of a national strategy for viable communities in all parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. Dynamic communities in economic social and cultural terms are to be the expectation of city people rural people and those in more isolated communities alike. Regional development means commitment to all communities. It involves recognition of the contributions to national life from regional sectors with a commitment to maintaining opportunities for enterprises that are in jeopardy where the weight of resources is available only in the cities. 
The Greens consider that schools are a community resource and we believe that an assessment of community resources must be part of any school closure process. Schools tend to be a focus for communities and foster social cohesion and shared activities. School classrooms are used for lots of different community activities—adult education libraries and information rooms. It is precisely this cooperative approach to schools that creates the cohesive community. For some in rural areas the school is the best resource in their community. It is a centre for children for families for local health and sporting interests for community groups and services and for informal networks. 
The priority must be the provision of a high-quality education for our children but communities have been told by ministry officials that although educational outcomes are a priority the network reviews are about responding to changing demographics which means responding to falling rolls in schools. It is therefore possible that schools with excellent Education Review Office reports and growing rolls are to be closed. Existing professional relationships between teachers within a community are undermined in the restructuring leading to an extended period of uncertainty in a school which adds unnecessary stress. 
The Minister has said that falling rolls make this full-scale process necessary but many parents and educators have noted that falling rolls bring opportunities for reduced class sizes which are educationally beneficial. There have been calls for reduced class sizes for years. Although there are increasing numbers of teachers class sizes are not reducing. But the ministry also recognises there are increased numbers of children with learning difficulties who could benefit from just a little extra attention to their specific needs. Reduced class sizes would have a huge impact on relieving teacher workloads enabling better class management and providing some individual time for each child. Those are good things which this Minister should be promoting but instead he is fuelling existing disparities.