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An attack by New Zealand First hasn’t slowed up construction of a new charter school in Northland.
The party’s education spokesperson, Tracey Martin, claimed Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru had run out of money after spending most of its $1.6 million establishment grant, and would be opening next term in prefabs and portaloos in a paddock.
Curriculum director Natasha Sadler says the MP may have been confused by the fact the company building the school, including a permanent ablution block, is called Portacom.
She says Ms Martin should come out to Whangaruru to see what is happening and talk to the community.
"We have bought a piece of land, 200 acres. Our curriculum strongly links to the land and the water and to Ngati Wai. We are Ngati Wai, people of the water, and so we have developed a curriculum or pedagogy which is based on our whenua and on our water, and we are excited about that," Ms Sadler says.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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