Ngamatea & Orautoha reject merger idea, Rangataua to discuss it

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 540, 14 June 1994, Page 1

Ngamatea & Orautoha reject merger idea, Rangataua to discuss it

TwoofWaimarino's smallschoolshave opted for the status quo and one, Rangataua, is to meet with Ministry of Education officials today to discuss the option of merging with a neighbouring school. This follows the ministry ' s Educational Development Initiative (EDI) which is a community-driven plan which proposes mergers with one or more neighbouring schools for schools of less than 25 pupils. The EDI was presented to schools and their boards of trustees at the beginning of the term. Ngamatea school "immediately" chose to temain with the status quo. School representative Robyn Shaw has written a letter to the editor (see page 4) outlining Ngamatea' s position. Orautoha School has also opted to remain open. Orautoha principal Robin Olds said they had had a meeting already organised for the week the EDI was announced and so it was fortunate that the community had enough time to discuss the matter and

make a decision before the national media latched onto it. "Everybody felt that we're getting a really good deal down here and there was no advantage in changing (the status quo)." She said a number of parents said they would switch to correspondence school if Orautoha School closed. Travelling times and difficulties were a major factor in the decision, with many children already travelling long distances over poor roads to get to Orautoha, let alone Raetihi which is their nearest neighbour. Orautoha is presently a sole-charge school with 15 children. Rangataua to consider it Rangataua School principal Alison Thomas said she did not want to discuss options for Rangataua before the meeting with the ministry officials. At present Rangataua has five pupils, and is about eight kilometres away from Ohakune School. There are already Rangataua children who travel to Ohakune School.