December 14, 2021
Te Kura roll explosion reveals funding gap
The head of distance learning provider Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu has welcomed an Education Review Office report highlighting its inequitable funding structure.
Mike Hollings says the ERO noted the former Correspondence School’s consistently in excellent results.
That’s despite the roll jumping from 750 tauira in 2018 to more than 2000 today, as it takes on students who disengage from traditional classrooms without the funding coming with them.
“Over 50 percent of these disengaged students are Māori. This is quite iniquitous, the way this funding is distributed to us. It’s just not fair and the other equity issue is Māori kids are being affected by this,” Mr Hollings says.
Many students are not suited to traditional classroom learning but thrive in Te Kura’s online environment where teaching is one on one and tailored to their individual needs.