PM seeks new ways to check schools' viability

Prime Minister Helen Clark says new ways of assessing the viability of schools will need to be found despite the moratorium placed on the highly unpopular school network reviews.

The programme of school network reviews was highly divisive in some communities, with some parents, children and teachers distressed to see their schools either closed or merged with others against the schools' wishes.

Speaking to a conference in Wellington yesterday for the primary and intermediate teachers union, the New Zealand Educational Institute, Helen Clark said the review moratorium announced in February would stand.

"While I believe the reviews were well intentioned in seeking to ensure school viability, the approach became counter-productive.

"Better ways need to be found of ensuring viable schools in the future."

But she moved to reassure intermediate teachers nervous about the future of that type of school following some closures during the network review era.

"Those were one-off decisions. There is no Government agenda to eliminate intermediates as a matter of principle, nor has such an approach been discussed, to the best of my knowledge."

She also defended the levels of operations grants. In the past week the School Trustees Association and the Principals Federation have claimed that schools are having to fundraise to meet their needs and that the inflation-adjusted operations grants model isn't sufficient in the age of information technology.

But Helen Clark said operational funding had increased 29 per cent under Labour.

"After allowing for inflation and for roll growth, that would equate to a real increase of 10.2 per cent per student."

- NZPA