Former Labour MP John Tamihere says charter schools allow Maori to demonstrate how they want mainstream education to change.
A bill by Labour’s Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins to abolish the charter school model has been drawn from the ballot.
The Waipareira Trust, which Mr Tamihere now runs, wants to set up a charter school in west Auckland.
He says 4000 of the area’s students are enrolled out of zone, but Maori parents don’t have that sort of mobility or the confidence to challenge the standard of education being provided.
"Why you go for charter schools is why we led kura kaupapa out here, we want change. If an opportunity comes along to say we can self-manage, we don't need you, but we can demonstrate what we mean when we talk about caring for each one of our babies, engaging with each one of their whanau and bringing them all as part of the story," Mr Tamihere says.
He says Tomorrow’s Schools separated schools from the communities they are supposed to serve.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
