Educational opportunities are crucial for the wellbeing and vitality of the community.

This is why the impact of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes on the lives of young learners – present and future – is a matter of great importance.

It has also been the catalyst for much creative thinking. The consensus seems to be: yes, we have lost much, but these events also give us an opportunity, as we renew, to rethink how we do things in education.

It is clear, given the extent of the damage and population movement, the network of provision cannot be returned to how it was. This in itself creates a significant opportunity for greater Christchurch to address the inequities of educational provision and outcomes that were a feature of pre-quake Christchurch, reposition education for the knowledge age, and lead New Zealand and the world in educational innovation.

To this end, the knowledge and expertise of education leaders, teachers, young people, business leaders, stakeholders, and Ngāi Tahu, along with your submissions has informed the development of the Education Renewal Recovery Programme that will guide the future direction of education in greater Christchurch.

We invite you to read the document [PDF; 881kb] which has informed the development of a plan for renewal that will improve the delivery of education, extend the options available for learners, and lift student achievement.

We have provided some resource material, including maps and background information, that should help you better understand the situation we find ourselves in.