Plea for less competition in plan for Christchurch schools

9:01 am on 15 November 2011

The Government has been asked to rein in competition between Christchurch schools and create hubs where they can co-operate.

About 230 submissions have been received on plans for the renewal of education in the city in the wake of February's devastating earthquake.

The Ministry of Education says the damage and movement of people caused by the earthquake is so great, it is not possible to put the education system back together the way it was.

Competition between schools was cited by a number of submitters as being a problem.

Shirley Boys' High School principal John Laurenson says competition is right for the sports field but not for the school system.

Those sentiments are echoed strongly in submissions by the teacher unions - the Post Primary Teachers Association and the Educational Institute - and also in the education plan of an independent group, Shake Up Christchurch Education.

PPTA Canterbury Earthquake group spokesperson Jacinta Grice says smaller schools find it difficult to offer the subject choices available at larger schools.

The Canterbury Secondary Principals Association says giving families a choice of schools inevitably means some competition.

However association chair Neil Wilkinson says members also want to see more collaboration.

He says schools could share more expensive facilities between them and with the rest of the community.

Other suggestions made in submissions include upgrading schools with new technology and locating early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education on the same sites.

The Government plans to publish its education plan for Christchurch next year.