Minister mistaken: school board

Wakatipu High School board chairman Peter Doyle said claims by the Education Minister that his school would have sufficient space for at least 10 years were "absolutely ridiculous".

"They obviously think that by taking years 7 and 8 students off us over the next two years that we can sit back in our armchairs now," Mr Doyle said.

He said he was frustrated and disappointed that after three or four years' wait for the Wakatipu future schooling area strategy. His board had found out some of its contents only via the media, which received a press release on Wednesday.

In the release, Education Minister Anne Tolley said the high school might be moved to a new site at some stage. However, because years 7 and 8 had been removed from the school it would have sufficient space for "at least 10 more years, by which time all of the necessary planning will have been done to relocate the school on to its new site".

The minister also announced a new primary school would open between Queenstown and Arrowtown about 2021.

Mr Doyle said his board had been waiting for the outcome of the strategy, prepared by consultants, on which it could base its planning for rapidly growing rolls.

It had been told by a senior Education Ministry official several weeks ago when the minister announced the loss of years 7 and 8 to delay plans for a $1.3 million classroom block until the strategy was released.

"We were also told then to supply the ministry with a staffing and student profile, five to 10 years out, which we've done.

"What really worries us is that the minister doesn't seem to realise we will only lose about 40 to 60 students overall in the next two years. At the moment we have 850 to 860 students, but in five years we'll be back up to 1000," Mr Doyle said.

The school could not just keep building classrooms without the extras such as a new gymnasium, changing rooms, music room and specialist rooms to keep up with its natural roll growth.

"We will need a new high school in five years. We've given them (the ministry) many ideas and suggestions during the last five years, including conceptual drawings for a new area school-learning centre at Frankton. There's plenty of land at Five Mile they could use.

"They think we've got a huge breathing space but even if I push the button today it could take 18 months to get another six classrooms built."

The school was also still waiting on its 10-year development plan, which the ministry offered to rewrite more than a year ago, he said. It was an unusual after rapid growth had driven building needs beyond all expectations.

Ministry officials will be in Queenstown this week when Mr Doyle would be asking whether the school could still proceed with new buildings using the $1.3 million approved for six new classrooms last year.

A ministry spokesman said yesterday a report on the strategy was being prepared for public release as soon as possible.

A spokesman for Ms Tolley said yesterday the strategy was decided after a lengthy consultation process. The minister acted on advice from the ministry.

"Letters were sent out (to Wakatipu schools) early in the morning the day before the release was made,"," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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