Yes Minister was a documentary
November 30th, 2010 at 1:00 pm by David FarrarI’ve often said that Yes Minister was a documentary. Do you recall the episode of the hospital with no patients? Well read this Dom Post story:
A tiny rural school that has not had any pupils for three months is still open nearly every day, overseen by a “very busy” principal.
I’m sure the school runs much more effectively, without any pupils getting in the way.
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November 30th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
The unions will be holding this school up as an example of how all schools should be run in the best interests of an easy life for the teachers.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Special note to Education minister: No kids are currently failing at this school – consequently national standards are not required for the entire country.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
You are in good company, I believe Thatcher also referred to it as a documentary.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Therefore any and all pay claims by all school staff (Primary, secondary, the toilet cleaner) anywhere in the country are superfluous and totally undeserved. Bloody unionists.
Rural school, I wonder if you can hear the farmer’s dog whistle from the Principal’s office?
(I wonder how long it takes to wind up a similarly sized private enterprise…?)
LOL at the ridiculous situation though…
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Another great achievement by Chopper Tolley.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
What a complete waste of tax payers money. Tolley and any other official aware of this situation should be sacked.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
I’ve just read the story. No doubt if the school was closed pre-emptively there would be howls of outrage from the usual suspects. Yes Toad, that’s you I include in that description. I would bet Tolley has no other option. Anyone care to enlighten?
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
This isn’t the first instance Christopher:
It appears Tolley’s office is a bit tardy with the paperwork.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Winding up private businesses often takes several years, particularly if the recievers are called in. OK it doesn’t look good but they still have loose ends to tie up.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Chris, I am sure that you’re 100% correct re the howls of outrage however based on the quoted salary the Tax payers are paying this principle $1467/week (before tax) for twiddling their thumbs. This is in addition to the expected costs being incurred in power, water, cleaning for keeping this school “open”.
If Tolley isn’t aware of this situation she is incompetent for not being aware of her portfolio, if she is aware of it but has decided this is the best course of action is is incompetent for demonstrating poor management. Either way she should go. Likewise every official aware of this should be sack for the same reason.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Mr Nobody maybe it is the best course of action? Surely you’re not advocating just getting up and walking away from the school. Somebody has to stick around and finalise the accounts and organise the paperwork to be sent to Wellington.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
A quote from the story “a final decision would not be made until the school board had submitted any reasons it had for keeping it open”.
I would suggest that the school board is a bit tardy. Shall we sack them?
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Toad
What does attacking Tolley have to do with the environment?
I mean its not like the Greens give a shit about our kids education.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Oh FFS Toad and Mr Nobody. Do you really think when a school closes you just lock the doors and walk away? Or do you just love any chance to get on your high horse and fling round charges of incompetence.
I guess for guys like you everyone else’s job is simplicity itself and you could do it all with one hand tied behind your backs.
A high school I knew well took a full year to close down and a group of skilled people to do it. Even down to trivia like disposing of trophies, honours boards etc with ex-pupils breathing down necks.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
But being an enterprising and dedicated person, I would expect the Principal (Who actually needs a principal for 19 students? – but I digress), when she runs out of important things to do, will undoubtedly hop in her car and offer her teaching services at the next school down the road for as long as the pay cheque rolls in each fortnight. After all if it is good enough for the pupils to travel, ……….
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
I’d send my kids there – what an awesome student to teacher ratio!
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Like CT said, both times. Why don’t you idiot people go and have a look at Orauta Maori School up north? It was ‘closed’ by Mallard over five years ago and, to my knowledge, you and I are still paying for the lawns to be cut each fortnight.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Labour closed the primary school I went to, even tho it is in a city with a growing population. They sold the land to developers who cleared away the school buildings and playgrounds and built houses all over it. Apparently their anti-privatisation policy didn’t apply to privatising school playgrounds for the benefit of developers. Toad is probably just pissed because Green MPs are looking for more real estate to invest in and Tolley isn’t being fast enough to pass the school on to the developers.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
@davidp 5:00 pm
WTF? You once put up rational arguments here davidp. Now you just seem to troll like Murray, Kris K, Manolo, d4j, and the loathsome Hurf Durf.
@BeaB 3:07 pm
Of course not, but (as in my 1:57 pm comment) does that necessitate all staff, including teachers, support staff and cleaners, continuing to be paid? At least in the latest instance, it appears to be only the principal.
Surely there is not even justification for a full time principal, although I agree that someone needs to be employed, but probably only part time, to finalise the closure.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Toad
What would our education system be like under a Green MOE or a Green government?
Would teachers receive an automatic 5% pay increase every year?.
Vote:Would all exams be phased out completely?
How much of the current curriculum would be replaced and if so what would you replace it with?
How much would Maori play in the day to day life of our kids education?
November 30th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Yes good point, guys. Tolley should absolutely be sacked
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
lol big bruv, you’re so cute!
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
somewhat
Nobody (including our MSM) ever asks direct questions of the Greens, they have been around long enough now that it is time that they (the Greens) were put under the spotlight.
We the people need to hear what their policies are in DETAIL, we need to see them costed and we need to have them debated in public.
After all, that is the only way we will ever get rid of them.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Adolf – it does make sense for the MOE to maintian their unused buildings. They might want to use them one day, and mown grass sells a property a bit better than a briar patch if they decide to go down that route.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Big Bruv, the Reds don’t have policies.
They’re just against everything.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
With all due respect for a post so biased I have to read it with my head at 45degrees, my comment is “complete arse David”.
What about the community with no School.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Toad>You once put up rational arguments here davidp. Now you just seem to troll like Murray, Kris K, Manolo, d4j, and the loathsome Hurf Durf.
Sure, I was trolling. But what do you expect when your opening salvo was the odd “Another great achievement by Chopper Tolley”, which shows a Whaleoil-type approach to giving politicians nicknames that are a mystery to everyone except yourself. And an expectation that once you close a school you can just stop performing activities such as grounds maintenance.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Bring back the fucking socialists, when it comes to shutting schools they are second to none.
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Yawn…Yes Minister is a Public Sector ‘documentary’, so all the private sector is just like Enron and WorldCom. Lazy dated comparisons the former now 30 years old…sad thing is the stereotypes endure to everyone’s detriment..
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Yes I agree davidp – “Chopper Tolley” is not that great a nickname. I much prefer “Off her trolley Tolley”
Vote:November 30th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
BeaB
Well that is what Mallard made happen. Close Up special a few weeks back schools that have been closed for years were entered and it looked like the class just never turned up the next day. School work still on the teachers desk, projectors still just sitting around etc. The local community were outraged that for years the building has just been locked up and not maintained. Such a waste.
Vote:December 1st, 2010 at 6:25 am
“The base annual salary for a principal of a school of less than 50 pupils is $76,288″
The only problem here seems to be the need to set a new salary bar for principals of schools with zero pupils. Perhaps there should also be some follow-up to ensure that the pool has been emptied (if they have one) and the guinea pig has been placed in a good home.
Vote:December 1st, 2010 at 8:58 pm
You all miss the point, this is what the unions are demanding its proof that lower class sizes do indeed work for their members.
This “Model” school is how the Union wants them all to look, although they want to retain all the teachers as well on 100k+ automatic 5% + inflation increase every year, new laptops, Fibre Broadband and a ratio of 1:0.
Vote: