Court decision reveals Education Minister and Ministry incompetent

The High Court's decision that the Minister of Education acted unlawfully when she decided to close a special school for girls is another example of an incompetent minister out of her depth, the Green Party said today.

Salisbury residential school for girls was vindicated today when a Government decision to close the school and merge it with Halswell Residential School in Christchurch was found to be unlawful by the High Court.

The court found that the Ministry of Education's advice to the minster had been unlawful because it hadn't property considered the safety of girls at the school, and that the Minister's subsequent decision to close the schools had also been unlawful.

"This is a Minster who doesn't listen and is putting our kids education in jeopardy," said Green Party education spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.

"Salisbury school provided Hekia Parata with all the information she needed, including information about specific safety risks to its pupils if it was merged with the boys school, but the Minister chose to ignore that advice.

"The Court has acted to protect Salisbury students because the Minister was putting them at risk.

"Minister Parata has shown time and again that she won't listen to those on the ground in education. In this case they were warning her about the physical safety of the girls at the school.

"This is the latest in a long line of failures on the part of the Ms Parata and it ought to have repercussions for her as a Minister.

"Combined with her decisions about Christchurch school closures it seems this Minister is targeting schools with the most vulnerable and fragile students for closure.

"The Prime Minster must now look very seriously at whether Hekia Parata is the best person for the job in education."