A Christchurch school which feared closure or merger with a cross-city rival has won a reprieve after crunch talks with education ministry bosses.
Shirley Boys' High School teachers, parents and pupils were stunned by a Government announcement last Thursday that it may have to merge with Christchurch Boys.
But after widespread confusion and panic over the announcement that 31 schools face closure or merger, the ministry backtracked to stress they only had proposals for the schools and no firm plans.
Shirley Boys board of trustees chairman Tony Deavoll and principal John Laurenson met ministry officials and received confirmation it would stay on its site at least for the next four years.
Further information on its future would have to be discussed, school officials said, and more detailed geotechnical reports are also needed.
The meeting came as Education Minister Hekia Parata defended the $1 billion, 10-year plan to close and merge schools across the city, including some with no earthquake damage.
Ms Parata would not confirm whether she would meet principals and staff to allay their fears but assured schools who did not want to close or merge they would be listened to seriously.
Before the ministry's proposals were revealed last week, schools were grouped into 41 clusters. Each cluster began meeting this week to discuss the proposals.
Ms Parata said schools and principals with concerns should take part in cluster discussions in each region.
"We recognise that community identity is part and parcel of education. I would really invite those communities to participate in the engagement process over the next weeks and months."
Greens' education spokeswoman Catherine Delahunty called for an urgent debate on the Government's proposals for schools in Christchurch.
She said Christchurch families who were frustrated with the plans would protest twice this week, and had signed online petitions against the changes.
"We're not denying the need to change - it would be foolish to pretend that anything can go back to the way it was."
She said it was an opportunity to reassess education in Christchurch but the release of the renewal plan last week was unsuccessful and had "created an earthquake of its own."
"It's been communicated with us strongly that there are real problems."
She said it was very difficult for schools to accept the rationale if they did not have any earthquake damage.
- By Kurt Bayer and Kate Shuttleworth of APNZ
