Education Minister John Gardner apologises for Adelaide schools zone changes

Education Minister John Gardner has apologised for the “disruption” caused by his controversial decision to restrict enrolments at Adelaide High School and Adelaide Botanic High School.

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Education Minister John Gardner has apologised for the “disruption” caused by his controversial decision to restrict enrolments at Adelaide High School and Adelaide Botanic High School.

The State Government has come under fire from families outraged by its decision to shrink enrolment zones for the two schools, meaning students in several western and southern suburbs, including Mile End, Richmond, Black Forest and Clarence Park, will no longer be eligible to enrol at them from next year.

Some parents are angry because they specifically moved to a particular area so they could send their children to a city school while others say the rezoning will mean they will be forced to send their child to a school that is further away.

Education Minister John Gardner has apologised for the “disruption” caused by his controversial decision to restrict enrolments at Adelaide High School and Adelaide Botanic High School.

Concern has also been raised over the impact the changes would have on house prices in areas shifted out of the city school zones.

The Government last week refused to apologise to families affected by the rezoning, but on Thursday, the Opposition asked Education Minister John Gardner in state Parliament if he would apologise for the impact caused to families cut from the city schools’ zone.

“The fact is that I am very sorry that there has been disruption in a number of families' lives and their expectation that had built up that next year they would be attending a certain school,” he said

“That is why the education department is ensuring that officers are available to give case management support to all those families to ensure that they are aware of their options and opportunities across our government system.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Close also asked Mr Gardner if he had asked for a financial impact assessment on householders in the cut suburbs.

“No … The fact is that the responsibility of the Minister for Education, one that I take very seriously, and of the government is to ensure that every child in every classroom in every school is supported to fulfil (their) potential,” he said.

“The other point I make is that the families who have been discomfited because they had certain expectations about the school they are getting have the guarantee that we will give them a spot in a government school where we will be focused on ensuring that that school is the best it can be and is delivering an excellent education to their children, as our commitment is to the students who are already attending those schools.”