Concerns about bogus list of school closures

1/9/93

Education Minister Norman Moore today expressed great concern about the de-stabilising effect caused by the circulation of a bogus list of schools allegedly targeted for closure.

Mr Moore said his office had reports of school-children bursting into tears in school yards named in the list.

"The facts are that no secret hit list of schools exists and I have no plans to close down massive numbers of schools," Mr Moore said.

"Any school rationalisation will only happen after a proper and considered process of community consultation."

The Minister said the only schools to close at the end of this year would be Cygnet Bay, north-east of Broome, which had run out of students and Shay Gap, which would cease to operate when mining operations closed down.

Communities at two other schools - Leederville Primary and Kununoppin Primary in the Merredin District near Training, would be involved in further detailed consultation about possible closure at the end of 1993.

Mr Moore said Ministry officers were also working on a policy under which any under-utilised schools would be automatically assessed to determine their future, and consultation would start with local communities.

"I hope to have this process in place by October, and the consultation process will enable the maximum notice to be given to parents, teachers and students, before any closure or amalgamation takes place in 1995," he said.

"It is totally inappropriate to be talking about specific schools, until this process is developed and finalised."

The Minister said the recommendations in the McCarrey report, relating to 50 schools which might need to be closed, were based on limited criteria such as empty classrooms and distance from other schools.

"Many more considerations, such as educational viability, social impact and economic practicality, must be taken into account before closing any schools," he said.

"Mr McCarrey's report takes a fundamentally economic view of the education system and is a valuable exercise in consideration of asset management, but it is up to the Government to accept, modify or reject any of its recommendations."

Media contact: Ross Storey 321 1444 / 222 9595 Mobile: 018 950 142