Former teacher John Robinson wants Griffith High to revert to its original name. Photo: Graham Slingsby.
The NSW Department of Education says it’s begun a consultation process to rename the two high schools that were separated when Murrumbidgee Regional High School (MRHS) de-merged last year.
But the bureaucrats will not confirm whether the former Griffith and Wade high schools will revert to their original names or be given new names.
Region understands a committee has been formed to look at a range of options, including simply going back to the previous names, incorporating Murrumbidgee into the titles or coming up with something different.
The Department says staff, students, community members, the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group and the Parents & Citizens Association will all be involved in the renaming process, but did not provide details on how or when this would happen.
NSW Government public school naming guidelines state that wherever possible, schools should adopt the name of their town or locality.
Where this is not possible, alternatives such as prominent local identities, Aboriginal place names or famous Australians can be considered.
In 2018, Griffith High and Wade High were combined into a so-called ‘super school’, a concept championed by former education minister Adrian Piccoli.
However, persistent problems and falling enrolment numbers saw the schools separated by the NSW Labor Government.
The two schools are each known by the convoluted names Murrumbidgee Regional High School – Griffith and Murrumbidgee Regional High School – Wade, but are expected to have new (or old) titles within six months.
John Robinson, a retired science teacher who worked at the school for 30 years, is in no doubt about what should happen.
“I would like to see the names go back to the original ones – Griffith and Wade high. The merger was an experiment, it failed. So why not return to the status quo?
“I can’t see why we need a committee to decide on new names.”
Though appreciative of Indigenous culture, he said he would not want Wiradjuri names for the schools.
“I think we’ve had enough of that with the ABC calling every town by its Aboriginal name. I’m proud of my English heritage and I’m proud to be associated with Aboriginal culture, but I don’t think that should take precedence at all times. But by the same token, we have to be tolerant and appreciative of other ideas,” he said.
Former Wade High student Sophia Pierotti says the simplest option would be the best.
“I think everyone knows them as Griffith High and Wade High, and I still tell people I went to Wade High,” she said.
“I think whatever causes the least disruptions to the students is the best outcome. In the end, the students are there to get an education, the name of the school and the uniform doesn’t matter.”
The schools are already operating as separate entities, having obtained different NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) numbers last year. This means that teachers can undertake assessments and plan lessons without having to consult with the other school.
Griffith High was opened in 1933 and was named after the town. Wade High opened in 1971 and was named after Leslie Wade, a civil engineer who led the development of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIIA).
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