Seven spare classrooms to be demolished
Losing seven classrooms is a sign of the times for Putaruru Primary School.
Principal Trish Scown said the Ministry of Education had decided the rural school had nine classrooms to spare – five more than the maximum allowed.
The empty buildings are a result of the school’s decreasing roll which has levelled out in the past three years after a big drop.
This year the ministry will demolish seven classrooms, leaving three spare rooms which include the school’s breakfast club and computer suite.
Ms Scown said the downsize was on the cards before the Christchurch earthquake hit.
When the disaster struck all the ministry’s resources were poured down south, giving Putaruru Primary School a few years grace.
But the time has come for the move, she said.
‘‘ Apparently it is more costeffective to demolish them than it is to maintain them.’’
She said they would be sad to see the buildings removed.
‘‘ But I can understand their point of view, there is only so much money to go around.’’
The school is still awaiting confirmation when the demolition will take place.
One of the seven buildings will be only partly demolished, leaving the roof as a rain shelter.
When the school first opened the buildings were well used with a full roll of 370.
At its lowest the roll dropped to 169 but Ms Scown said it had levelled out about 200 for the past three years.