New college block opened by Minister

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 2, 14 June 1983, Page 4

New college block opened by Minister

The Senior Studies block of Ruapehu College was officially opened by the Minister of Education, Mr Mervyn Wellington, on Wednesday 1 June.

The Minister, who had flown into Waiouru on an RNZAF Andover flight that morning, travelled by road to Ohakune and was welcomed to the College by the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Jim Goldfinch. Staff and students had assembled in the college hall to hear their Principal, Mr Mike Warbrick, extend a welcome to the Minister and to hear the Minister declare this new facility for senior students — which commenced construction early last year — officially open. After delivering his address the Minister moved

with invited guests through the school in which he had taught for 2 years in the early 1970's to the foyer of the new Senior Studies block where he unveiled a plaque to commerate the occasion. On conclusion of his brief visit to the Waimarino the Minister returned to Waiouru by road to catch his RNZAF Andover flight . . . but not before he had declared an extra days holiday for the College on last Tuesday following the Queens Birthday weekend. Judging from the response it was a popular decision!

Text of Minister's Speech I am delighted to return to one of my old schbols. Ruapehu College is one for which I have a special regard, having spent 2 years here in the early 1970s. I must confess that when my family and I first moved here, we did so somewhat reluctantly, but there was little option because of the then requirement to undertake country service. But come we did, and we came too to enjoy living in a quite distinctive and very friendly district. Schools like your own located in the more remote parts of New Zealand, indeed in the very heartland of rural New Zealand, fulfil a function in a sense more important, and certainly wider, than that played by schools in larger centres like our larger cities. For here in Ohakune and places similar, the school is more than a school. It is a focal point for community interest and activity. It is a very important component of an infrastructrue of services for rural people. Much of Government's planning in recent years has been designed to ensure that such social services of which

education is a critical one, are not only maintained but strengthened so that the young people of the district have, as far as it is possible to ensure, equal opportunity with their city counterparts. Secondary school rolls, once rising sharply, are now stable and in a few places, declining. But the decline is not as great as is often assumed. Indeed, rural school rolls rose by 3% between last year and this. I am pleased to see that the Ruapehu College roll is holding strongly. That reflects, I think, the greater diversification of activity in the district, or to be more specific, is a result of the impact of the mountain and ski-fields, of the changing patterns of land use, and of course of the continued and strong presence of the New Zealand army establishment at Waiouru. Until very recent times, because rolls were constantly rising, much of the money government set aside for capital works or school buildings was used to build new schools. Now, most of the capital works monies, which this year will total $75 million for primary and secondary schools, is earmarked for

projects that will improve teaching conditions and accommodation in existing schools. Ruapehu College is no exception. The approval I gave in May 1981 to build a proper gymnasium, a project costing nearly half a million dollars, to which the local community contributed $60,000 — a magnificent sum — is an example of this policy in action. So too is the senior studies block to be opened today. The checkered history of this project will be known to many of you. I understand that in 1975 the college purchased a Marge ex-army building, known as the Sangro Block, and intended with locally raised funds to renovate it for canteen and recreational purposes. Because of the large number of bus pupils and your climatic conditions, there was a particular need for such a facility. However, in Octol^B 1977, when in the process of being renovated, this building was destroyed by fire. It was quickly agreed, however, that a common room would be constructed to replace this proposed

facility and this was incorporated in the new teaching block designed by the firm of private architects, Earles & Company. In April 1981, I approved finance to enable tenders to be called for the construction of your new block, incorporating as it does a laboratory and preparation room, three standard classrooms, the Sangro canteen and commons area, a resource space and staff office. The block has been completed at a total cost of just under half a million dollars. But what of the future. As I have already indicated, there has been some talk, much of it loose, in very recent times about the future of rural schools, or more particularly the range of programmes or subject options they will continue to be able to offer as and when rolls do drop. This is a very important matter.

I want today to reassure yoii that the Government is determined to Continue to provide a proper system of subject and programme protection. The government is determined to prevent a recurrence of this situation that used to* exist in so many rural areas. In those days, because the subject choices offered in many rural schools was narrow, many parents either moved from the district or sent their children to boarding school. Whilst some parents in districts like your own will always send their children to boarding school, and that is their right, it is nevertheless important that they should not feel compelled to do so. Nor should parents feel compelled to move to ensure that their children have a better chance in some larger centre because equal opportunities do not exist in

places like Ohakune, or Raetihi, or Taihape or wherever. At the moment where there is a decline in population, the provisions of the guaranteed minimum formula staffing scheme allows schools to hold staff for a full year on the basis of predicted rolls estimated in July of the previous year. This means that staffing levels can be set to maintian subject programmes for the following year without concern about a possible shortfall in the predicted roll. Such provisions avoid the disruption of programmes for pupils attending rural schools. Moreover, I am at the moment looking at further ways of maintaining this situation. I cannot indicate what form or shape such measures will take, but for the reasons I have already mentioned I am determined that the integrity and

strength of rural education is maintained. On an occasion such as this it is very important to state what is perhaps not often known, or well known, and that is that the achievements of students as measured by external examinations show that there is no significant difference between children from rural and urban schools. Excellent results have been gained by. students from rural schools and I am absolutely sure that this will always be the case. The task of the Government is to give you the tools: it is your task to finish the job.

The record of Ruapehu College in recent years in particular, shows that you are indeed finishing the I have enjoyed being with you this morning. I wish you continued success in all you do and I now have very much pleasure in declaring officially open the Ruapehu College Senior Studies Block.