Country schools' demolition painful loss

Last week, the Government moved to address concerns of parents and teachers over class sizes and teacher-pupil ratios.

This was good news for those who saw the move as a threat to teaching and learning.

As I said last week, I've been passing all the feedback I've been receiving on to the Minister of Education - it is now clear that this, and other feedback she received, impacted on last Thursday's decision.

The challenge now will be to find the extra $60 million the Government wants to put into professional development.

Everyone agrees that class size is one determining factor in success in education, but it is not as important as quality teachers and school leaders.

Last Saturday night, I attended the 100th Anniversary of the YMCA in Wanganui.

This organisation has been a leader in the achievement of young people, their health and lifestyle, and still is a critical layer among providers in alternative education and life skills.

In wartime, it provided canteens for troops on bases and on leave and I, like many other kids in the 1960s, attended YMCA gym classes in our local hall for years.

Apart from the exercise, there was the discipline of teamwork, the social side of holiday programmes and activities and moral values that weren't preached as much as displayed.

While the YMCA has stayed constant with us through the years, the little country schools of the 1960s have unfortunately not. Last week, we saw the end of an era in the demolition of two of our country schools at Te Kiri and Pihama.

It was a very sad day, but one that, sadly, had to come.

When the last Labour government shut down those country schools, about 10 in our electorate, they were handed over with classrooms and administration blocks, libraries and halls, all in pristine condition. They had been built with local money and maintained by local elbow grease.

The kids from those schools did very well.

Far from the promises made, the schools fell into disrepair. They were subjected to damage and theft. The assurances from the Minister of Education at the time, Trevor Mallard, and from the Ministry of Education that the buildings would be well looked after amounted to nothing.

It was ironic to hear the political rhetoric from Labour about education over the last few weeks given the devastation they left behind in our local schools.

In the end, the pain of having to drive past schools after years of abuse was too much to bear and greenfield sites will be easier to sell and gentler on the eyes.

But it is still "open season" for mallards in coastal Taranaki.