Education Minister Hekia Parata has confirmed that all Christchurch secondary schools will remain open but two badly damaged single sex schools will move to a new, shared site.
The decision comes almost a year after Ms Parata announced an overhaul of the Canterbury education system.
Hekia Parata. Photo: NATIONAL PARTY
Ms Parata says after an extensive consultation process, it has been decided that the schools are all well located and provide good access for students.
The only major change is that Avonside Girls' High School and Shirley Boys' High School will be relocated to a new, as-yet-undecided location in eastern Christchurch.
The principals of both schools say they are delighted with the decision, and the certainty it will bring to their communities.
The Government has already confirmed 13 primary and intermediate schools will be closed and another 11 merged.
The minister says the merger will cost about $400 million.
Principals delighted
One of the Christchurch principals whose school is set to merge sites with another says the announcement gives them much-needed direction after years of uncertainty.
Avonside Girls' High School principal Sue Hume says she's delighted after two and a half years of uncertainty.
She says while the schools will share a site and some facilities, they'll each retain their own identity.
Ms Hume says the schools are expecting to be given a timeline for the merger by Christmas.
Ms Hume's counterpart, principal of Shirley Boys' High School, says he is over the moon at the news.
John Laurenson says he's not concerned the merged schools will no longer be seen as single-sex schools.
He says they will operate as separate schools with separate boards and identities on the same site but with a shared commitment to education.