Education Ministry's 'guidance' over withholding information unacceptable
The Education Ministry’s so-called guidance to the Christchurch City Council suggesting it essentially hide information from a parent worried about school closures is absolutely deplorable, says Labour’s Canterbury Recovery Spokesperson.
The attempt to withhold the information from a parent fighting to save his son’s school was revealed by TV3’s Campbell Live last night.
“This parent used the official information legislation for the first in his life because he feels so strongly about the Government’s plan to close his son’s school. In the midst of that, he discovered a blatant attempt by government departments to do everything they could to stop him getting that information.
“CERA took its default position of extending the time for another 20 days. The Ministry of Education point-blank refused to release any information and then it told the Christchurch City Council to say that it didn’t ‘hold’ the information when it in fact it had the information.
“The Ministry’s ‘guidance’ as to how to deal with the request has raised serious questions at the lengths it is going to control the release of information that schools must have in order to be able to make submissions with the clock ticking to the 7th December deadline.
“When the council asked the Education Ministry whether the information was confidential, its reply offered two mechanisms for handling this information: to refuse the request as the information is not ‘held’ by the council or to transfer the request back to the Ministry.
“It was the offer of words to reply with that has led the parent to believe that the Ministry has essentially asked the council to lie to him: ‘The CCC has checked its records but does not hold the information you require’.
“That’s just not good enough. The Education Minister should front up and explain how this happened and whether this attitude towards parents asking for information is widespread.
“She should also answer these questions:
- Why is the Education Ministry so determined to withhold information about Christchurch schools?
- Why are schools and parents having to resort to the Official Information Act?
- Why are people still declined information?
- Why are government departments taking an extension of time to provide official information when she won’t give the schools an extension of time to put in their response?
- Why has the Education Ministry suggested ways the Christchurch City Council can avoid releasing information to the public?
- How can schools and their communities put up a case when they don’t have the information?
“Hekia Parata botched the Christchurch schools announcement, her Ministry has botched the handling of information and they both have forgotten that the children should be at the heart of the decision-making.
“It is time to put the brakes on and give the schools the time they need to obtain all the information, consider all the options and make a considered response,” said Lianne Dalziel