Reorganisation of Schools in Marton

PRESS RELEASE

12 April 2000 Immediate Release

Reorganisation of Schools in Marton

Two existing primary schools in Marton may be expanded next year to allow them to have intermediate school classes, and Rangitikei Intermediate and one primary school in the town may be closed.

Rangitikei College willremain a Level 9 - 14 (Form 3 - 7) school.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard has asked the Ministry of Education to consult with the Marton community on that option because of the falling number of school children in the town. A final recommendation had yet to be made about which of the town's three primary schools would close and which two will remain open, Ministry of Education National Operations Manager in Wanganui, Anne Devonshire, said today.

"The Minister of Education has thought long and hard about the future schooling options for the children of Marton," said Mrs Devonshire.

"Trevor Mallard particularly wants to acknowledge all of the work that has been put in by the Marton community and its schools over the past two and a half years in discussing the future options for schooling in the town.

"Today's announcement is intended to allow the town to move forward and to focus on arriving at the best solutions.

"We will now be working with the boards of Marton Primary, James Cook and Marton Junction over the next few months to work out the process for final decisions to be made and to implement those decision," said Mrs Devonshire.

"The Minister wants to see the new schooling arrangements in place for the start of the 2001 school year."

The two main options were considered for the future provision of education in Marton. One was for the college to become a Level 7 - 14 (Form 1 - 7) high school, and the other was to expand two primary schools to intermediate level. In either case, the existing intermediate school and one primary school would close.

At present there are 700 empty seats in Marton schools, and latest forecasts indicate that primary school rolls will fall by a further 25% over the next 20 years.

END

Enquiries: Anne Devonshire Manager National Operations, Wanganui Management Centre Phone: (06) 345 5707 / 025 418 907 Fax: (06) 345 5817

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