July 10, 2013
Low decile no barrier
The principal of Napier’s Tamatea High School says Māori kids can achieve whatever their socioeconomic circumstances.
Nicola Ngarewa has won a Sir Peter Blake leadership award for the dramatic turnaround at the school.
She says when she moved over from Taranaki three years ago, she was not discouraged by going onto a decile three school with a 60 percent Maori roll.
"I was never going to allow excuses. I was never going to allow our socioeconomic background or anything else to discriminate us so it was really about we are more than capable of doing this, our rangatahi are just inspiring, they're amazing and they deserve the best opportunities they can possibly get," she says.
Ms Ngarewa says the award is one for the whole school community who joined in to unlock the students’ talents.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd