SCHOOL AMALGAMATIONS

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:47): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Education a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: The day after the budget, regional directors of the education department informed at least 13 schools in the state (including Parafield Gardens High School and Primary School, Blackwood Primary and High School, Birdwood High and Primary School, Kadina Primary and High School, Bordertown Primary and High School and Renmark Junior Primary, Primary and High School) that they had been targeted under the budget's proposal to amalgamate co-located schools to achieve the budget cuts that have been announced for education.

I understand that at least one of these schools has indicated that it is not prepared to amalgamate and that at least one of these schools has actually previously amalgamated its junior primary and primary schools and is still recovering from that upheaval and the loss of staffing that came as a result of that.

Under the Education Act 1972, part 2A provides that in the case of a school closure or amalgamation there is a review process, and that is outlined in sections 14A to 14F. My questions to the minister are:

1. When the regional directors went out to inform them that they would be amalgamated, had the schools been given a copy of the act's provisions to ensure that they are aware that they can refuse to amalgamate and show them the process should they wish to refuse to amalgamate?

2. Have the schools been assured that they have rights to recourse, specifically, that they have the right to refuse and they will then be able to go into a review process where local government is consulted and where the school community is consulted in its entirety, that anyone can make a submission, that there is a review committee set up which is quite diverse, that those submissions and meetings will then happen and that in fact a resultant report will be laid on the table of the houses of parliament?

3. Can the minister now guarantee that the act will not be changed to enable these budget cuts and forced amalgamations to happen to any of these schools?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for her important questions and will refer them to the Minister for Education in another place and bring back a response.