Education Minister Anne Tolley has thrown out three ideas
from Remarkables Primary School (RPS) to solve the enrolment
zone crisis in the Wakatipu.
Mrs Tolley told RPS board of trustees chairman John Stalker
in a letter the options the school proposed to increase its
capacity did not align with the Ministry of Education's
long-term plan for education in the basin.
The board's three vetoed ideas were the possibility of adding
accommodation on site, a larger split-site campus and
possible private-public partnership.
The minister reiterated the existing zone must be reduced
"now", following community consultation, as the roll was
projected to reach its capacity by 2013.
"I have been informed that the ministry is in the process of
evaluating a number of site options for such a new [primary]
school in the area and that, in the short term, there is
capacity within the current schooling network to accommodate
predicted primary school roll growth," she said.
Mr Stalker said yesterday trustees felt the response was
"very short-sighted".
Trustees are concerned all Wakatipu state schools will be
overcrowded within the next two years.
"It takes approximately five years to build a new school and
to date the ministry is still trying to find a suitable site,
let alone purchase the land and build a school.
"We would appreciate it if the ministry could reconsider the
birth-rate figures we have been sending through and
reconsider the proposal put forward from Remarkables Primary
School."
Mr Stalker said RPS would be overcrowded in 2013 along with
Queenstown Primary and Arrowtown schools.
"With no short-term solution in the Wakatipu the community is
very concerned with the future of schooling in our area."
There were 156 responses to the Remarkables Primary School
community consultation on its proposed enrolment zone
changes, which could come into effect on April 24, 2012, the
start of term two, if the ministry approved.
The majority (65) of respondents were from parents of
enrolled pupils. A total of 53 were from early-childhood
parents, 16 from prospective parents, and 22 were community
members.
The proposed new home zone will exclude children from Lake
Hayes Estate, Quail Rise Estate, Tucker Beach, Marina Heights
and the north side of Frankton Rd from the BP roundabout to
Perkins Rd.
Children attending RPS who live in those areas, and their
siblings, will still be able to attend the school as their
home will be tagged as "in zone" until such time as they
choose to move away from that home.
An overwhelming 139 respondents said they were "not happy"
with the proposed zone changes, while five said they were
happy and a dozen did not answer.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.