February 18, 2013
Otautahi kura to move, not merge
There’s been a reprieve for Christchurch’s two kura kaupapa Māori.
In the shake-up of the city’s schools announced today, Education Minister Hekia Parata said Te Whanau Tahi and Waitaha won’t now have to merge, but one of them must move.
School communities have until the end of March to comment on the proposal.
Te Whanau Tahi’s board says whichever kura moves, the result will be more whānau will have access to Māori medium schooling.
The interim proposal is for 12 schools to merge and seven schools to close, including Branston Intermediate, which has a Māori unit.
The other intermediate with a bilingual unit, Shirley, is one of 12 schools originally slated for closure or merger that has been granted a reprieve.
There will be five new schools built.
Ms Parata says the changes will affect less than 1 per cent of the entire greater Christchurch school population of 72,000 pupils.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd