A powhiri performed at Moerewa school welcomed back their Year 11-13 students yesterday despite a direct order from Hekia Parata last term to close the unit and have the students enrolled elsewhere.
Low NCEA achievement results led to the Ministry of Education making the decision to stop all classes for students in Year 11, 12 and 13 at Moerewa school. In an act of defiance 17 students were welcomed back to the school for term 2 yesterday.
The senior unit at Moerewa school taught the Year 11-13 students via a satellite arrangement with Kia Aroha College in Auckland. However the community and staff feeling they have not been given enough time to make the changes which the Ministry of Education are asking for.
Late yesterday, in response to the defiance the Ministry of Education sacked the board of the small Northland school and instead has appointed commissioner Mike Eru who will now be in charge of the 280 pupil school.
An unwelcoming and icy reception is expected for the commissioner’s arrival at the school today. Ex-board chairman Mate Palmer said ”I even had one kaumatua go so far as to say that he will block the entrance to Moerewa School and not allow the commissioner to come into the school grounds.”
Principal Kire Milne-Ihimaera said ”We also want to send a strong message that this isn’t over. While we might be forced to send some students somewhere else and we have to bite the bullet, and accept that, we’ll continue to try whatever it takes to realise the community’s vision for our school, which is a Year 1-13 campus.”
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