Service academy to open at Ngata Memorial College

Ngata Memorial College principal Peter Heron is a former officer in the Royal Air Force. Pictures supplied

Ngata Memorial College has been selected to offer a services academy through the Ruatōria school, to help students find their pathway to a future career.

The Services Academy programme is run within secondary schools in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force with the aim of supporting students through improvement of NCEA qualifications and development of leadership and life skills.

Ngata Memorial College principal Peter Heron said the programme would give students and others in the area the chance to follow an exciting programme including over five weeks of camps, along with a learning environment which follows a military ethos.

He said it was not a boot camp, or automatic entry into the forces. Instead it was a way to engage students in meaningful learning while also preparing them for university or employment.

“We believe that it will improve student retention through to the top NCEA levels and develop key competencies which are relevant to employment or further study,” Mr Heron said.

The connection to different services like the military and police is strong at Ngata Memorial College because of historical links to the 28 Māori Battalion and Moananui Ngarimu VC.

Wayne Palmer, who will be the director of the academy, and Mr Heron are ex-military themsevles, and 25 percent of teachers  at the school have children in the military.

Mr Heron and Mr Palmer wil lead the academy.

Many students had expressed their interest in the forces during career discussions, Mr Heron said.

Students can expect to follow an academic programme tailored to their individual needs, but embedded in a course of fitness, adventure training and five residential camps on bushcraft, leadership and adventure training.

They will have a daily parade and physical education. They will also have to meet conduct expectations which will help them transfer to a workplace.

“The hope is to retain students in school and provide a meaningful pathway to employment or tertiary study,” Mr Heron said.

Reaction to this addition to the school had been positive and people were excited, Mr Heron said.

“The community was excited for the opportunity for their children and many of the whānau had stories of relatives who were in the forces,” he said.

The services academy starts officially next year.

The panel which assessed the three short-listed submissions unanimously agreed that Ngata Memorial College should be selected.

The school achieved the highest overall score against their criteria, presented the best overall case to demonstrate public value, offered a Māori-first solution, and would also ensure Services Academy provision would be maintained in the Tairāwhiti region.