When you get to a certain point in the education system, all the focus goes onto exam results, how well you’ve done or are doing, and whether you’ll be able to go on to university or into a job: Improve education outcomes.

For students in greater Christchurch, there are also the added pressures and uncertainties resulting from the earthquakes.

It’s for that reason we want to understand your thoughts around education renewal because this is, in fact, about you.

And, your voice will represent students following you into senior and tertiary-level education, so it is important we understand how you see things. This includes your views around the proposals to close or merge some schools.

These proposals have been informed by the Education Renewal Recovery Programme – Directions for Education Renewal in greater Christchurch which proposes schools fall into three categories for remediation:

• Restore, with earthquake damage being repaired
• Consolidate, where there would be moderate change because of declining roll sizes, building and/or land damage
• Rejuvenate, where significant change is required.

Change is inevitable. But there are choices about how we go about shaping education.

Schools, and tertiary education, are there for you.

Initiate some discussion amongst yourselves about what’s proposed and then tell us what you think.

You can provide formal submissions as well. Find out from your school how you can do this.

You might find it useful to look at these links as well, for background:

Post-compulsory education

Find my school

Education system now