Principal's children school's only pupils

A Central Otago school is fighting to stay open after its roll dropped to only two pupils - both children of the principal.

The board of Paerau School in the Maniototo is looking at how to boost numbers after a family with three children left the district, slashing the roll by more than half.

The remaining two students are the children of principal Steve Harley, the Otago Daily Times reported.

School board chairwoman Erin Elworthy said the roll had fluctuated in the past, which was to be expected at a small country school.

The board would focus on attracting more families into the district, with an offer of a year's free accommodation to a family with school-aged children among the ideas being floated.

A family took up the same offer a year ago but recently shifted away.

A Ministry of Education official met the community last week to discuss options for the school.

The ministry said it had no policy on schools remaining open because of the ongoing enrolment of a principal's children.

Paerau School was founded in 1915, and saw its roll peak in the past decade at 17.

The nearest school was 45 minutes' drive away, at Ranfurly.

- NZPA