The meeting is a positive step after months of campaigning by the NSW Teachers’ Federation that all was not right at the school.

The Department of Education and Training would have none of that, but finally with ministerial intervention the two will come together.

Dubbo College is almost 10 years old and any teething problems should have been sorted out by now.

Instead the federation has seen fit to identify more and more problems with the school.

But the federation should not be the only voice on the issue, any more than the department should have all the say.

The college has educated thousands since its inception - and received some good results.

But those good results should not mask problems.

Those who have attended the school and those who have sent children their must have valuable thoughts to share on their experiences of the college.

They should let the department know what direction the college should take.

If Dubbo was an experiment that went wrong, someone needs to acknowledge that and come up with a different plan.

This process is important because the continued griping makes Dubbo look bad. If the consultation is done thoroughly, the issue then needs to be put to rest.

Quality public education is a rock of our community.

We need it to be the best it can be.