Getting Christchurch students back to school

Education Minister Anne Tolley says that alternative plans are in place for over 1700 students from two of the Christchurch schools severely damaged in last week’s earthquake, with planning well underway for all of the city’s school students.

“We want to get students back in school and provide certainty for families as soon as we possibly can,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Marian College and Avonside Girls’ High will not be in a position to open any time soon due to the damage they sustained, and I’m delighted that agreement has been reached in principle for them to share space with two other schools which have been relatively unaffected.

“Avonside Girls’ High will share the site at Burnside High, while Marian College will share the space at St Bedes.

“One set of students will attend in the morning, with the other school having classes in the afternoon. The exact details have still to be finalised, but this is a positive step forward.

“Meanwhile, the Ministry is continuing to make arrangements for all of the severely affected schools, and more details will be announced soon.”

All schools are required to have a structural report, and of those carried out so far on the 121 state schools in Christchurch City, 76 have been deemed to be safe, and these schools are now preparing to open.

The Ministry of Education is working with school boards, Civil Defence, and other relevant authorities to determine when they can open for students, and Mrs Tolley is asking parents to be patient.

“We must ensure that schools are safe for students, and we are doing all we can to get schools open as soon as possible.”

Parents should contact their school, check their school website or go to the Ministry of Education website at www.minedu.govt.nz for information on re-opening dates for schools.

The Ministry website also provides information for parents on supporting their child’s learning at home.