PRESS RELEASE

Rural Women tackle school reviews
23 February 2004

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is offering assistance to anyone wanting to influence decisions affecting schools in their area.

This initiative comes in the wake of Ministry of Education proposals to close a large number of rural schools throughout the country.

Although 70% of the students in schools under review live in urban areas, rural schools are emerging as the greatest casualty of the nationwide review process.

RWNZ has produced a free booklet entitled “Draft Education Review Paper”. (Right-click and choose File Save As to download.)

RWNZ Executive Officer, Jo-Anne Stokes says that the purpose of this booklet is to strengthen rural communities through providing knowledge of how reviews are conducted and offering constructive suggestions for alternatives to closures.

“Rural people can’t afford to stand on the sidelines and watch their communities erode, so they need to be part of the process to influence how the changes will unfold.”

“By joining the Community Reference group and consulting with the facilitators, it is possible to have a say before the decisions are made final.”

Ms Stokes says that while some school closures are necessary and logical, many rural schools represent an essential community resource.

“A school re-organisation is an opportunity to combine the very best from the merged schools, creating an even stronger foundation for schooling in the future.”

Contact:
Jo-Anne Stokes
Executive Officer
Phone (04) 473 5524