Clark against school closures process

By HELEN TUNNAH

Prime Minister Helen Clark says she has disagreed with her Education Minister for months about the programme for school reviews, even though a freeze was imposed on the process only this week.

She said on television that she made the minister, Trevor Mallard, aware of her views. She thought it was better if communities made their own decisions about their schools.

Her comments are expected to be seized on by up to 14 local councils in a legal bid to save the 71 schools tagged for closure before the moratorium was announced.

The High Court judicial review is expected to focus on the consistency, reasonableness and fairness of Mr Mallard's actions.

On Monday, the minister imposed a five-year freeze on any more school reviews, blaming a public and teacher backlash.

But sceptics pointed to Labour's popularity dropping in two opinion polls. Labour MPs in electorates where schools are to close are also facing voter unrest.

Helen Clark said on Wednesday that the obituary had not yet been written for the 71 schools still facing the axe.

She also said she did not agree with the schools review process, run by Mr Mallard.

"I certainly expressed my concern to him over quite a number of months, and he will tell you that."

She said it would now be better if communities determined for themselves school futures.

"Communities ... do have common sense. They will look around and if they see the roll going, they'll start talking to the school next door.

"That's why I haven't really agreed with the style of the network review. I think we're better to have communities deal with these issues bottom up.

"The ministry can then facilitate, but let's give people some ownership of the issues."

The National Party's education spokesman, Bill English, said: "When the Prime Minister says she does not support the process and never has, then Mallard has no one supporting him. The minister's got nowhere to go."