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Prominent educationalists Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi have lodged a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal against closing partnership schools.
The pair fronted up to the Education and workforce select committee this morning to argue how the policy will have a disproportionately detrimental effect on Māori.
Sir Toby says seven of the 11 kura hourua have between 87 percent and 100 percent Māori rolls.
He says the state school system has failed too many Māori over the years, and kura hourua have been proved to work – but making them come into the state system as integrated or special character schools will take away the flexibility that was enabling that success.
"It’s only common sense that where you have success you promote success and breed more success when you have it within your fingertips. But unfortunately this Government sees otherwise and that is really unfortunate," Sir Toby says.
He says kura hourua set high expectations and work hard to achieve those outcomes, whereas there are no such expectations at state schools.
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