UP to 20 Tasmanian schools are discussing their future as the deadline for the state government's incentive fund closes at the end of the week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Schools have until Friday to provide Education Minister Nick McKim with an expression of interest and seek funding from round 1 of the $3.5 million School Transition Fund to close or amalgamate.
On Monday it was announced Geeveston District High would become only a primary school from next year, with the 31 students from year 7 to 10 to move to either Huonville or Dover schools.
It follows a decision in September from Maydena and Westerway primary schools to amalgamate.
Tasmanian State School Parents and Friends president Jenny Eddington said yesterday she knew of 20 schools that were having talks internally and with other schools.
``But some of that is around sharing resources and services of things, not closing schools,'' Mrs Eddington said.
She said there had been discussion among some smaller primary schools that they may go to year 3 or 4 and then the pupils transition to a larger school.
Mrs Eddington said the idea behind this was that it would avoid younger children spending long periods of time travelling.
Of the $3.5 million fund, the government has so far allocated $396,000 to the school closures or amalgamations and is expecting to make savings of $900,000 over three years.
None of these schools were on the government's proposed closure list of 20 in the 2011 budget and which was later retracted.
Northern schools initially proposed to close included Avoca, Bracknell, Meander, Mole Creek, Ringarooma, Westbury and the Fingal campus of St Marys District High School.
Mr McKim has since promised that there would be no forced closures until after the 2014 state election.
Of the schools that responded to calls by The Examiner, Bracknell, Ringarooma and Avoca primary schools said they had no interest in taking the government's incentive.
Round 2 of the fund will open in early 2013.