Christchurch closures undermine school security

Labour’s education spokesperson says the Education Minister is ignoring the importance of Christchurch’s schools to the wider community.

Ms Mahuta says the Government’s announcement that a large number of schools would merge or close has come as an unpleasant surprise to parents and teachers alike.

She says Otautahi is still a long way from being back to normal

“Unless you’ve been to Christchurch post-earthquake, you wouldn’t really understand that in maintaining stability for children and their families is a very stressful period and that the role still continues,” she says.

Ms Mahuta says the decision to merge the city’s two kura kaupapa Maori also seems short sighted, as many Maori families will be heading to the city as rebuilding jobs start coming.

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