Kawerau pupils seek Goff's help to save school

More than 100 intermediate school children were turned into Labour Party campaigners yesterday.

Labour leader Phil Goff was in the Bay of Plenty town of Kawerau to visit a carpentry academy after spending time in Tauranga and Te Puke.

But as the Crown limo and its police escort turned up, a large group of Kawerau Intermediate School pupils came down the street in their yellow and green school uniforms, protesting against the planned closure of their school.

"What do we want?" principal Daryl Aim asked.

"Tolley out," the students screamed in reply.

They held signs which read "Lose our school, lose out vote", "Phil Goff is cool, save our school" and "Tolley listen".

Mr Goff's team said they were not advised of the protest ahead of time but knew there had been a meeting the night before about the closure of the school. The decile 1 school is to be amalgamated with the local high school.

Mr Goff told them Education Minister Anne Tolley should at least meet parents.

A spokesman for Mrs Tolley said she had met representatives of the school and a final decision had not been made.

Mr Aim said the children's parents had agreed to their participation in the protest.

Earlier, Mr Goff met the Room 12 class from Te Puna School in Tauranga at the local foodbank. The pupils were there as part of a project on help agencies.

"I think it's pretty amazing [that Mr Goff was there] and he's a nice guy," Kai Chalmers, 10, said.