Apology after hurt girl left behind

Action is being taken to tighten outdoor education safety following an incident where a Wairoa kura kaupapa student fell down a steep riverbank and was not missed by staff for a couple of hours.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Ngati Kahungunu O Te Wairoa has issued a public apology to the child and her family after the accident which happened during a marae outing at Te Reinga, about 30km north of Wairoa, on November 16.

The 11-year-old girl suffered a fracture to her pelvis when she fell down a bank during a walk along the river with her class.

She was in a group of 25 students accompanied by four adults.

The walk began in sunny conditions but at the time the girl fell off the track, a heavy downpour of rain made visibility difficult. Her absence was discovered in a head count at the end of the walk, back at Te Reinga marae.

The girl was found by searchers two hours later, and flown by helicopter to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings for treatment.

The whanau/board of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngati Kahungunu O Te Wairoa has analysed the incident and say they are following corrective processes.

The kura says staff will be required to retrain in the appropriate Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC) safety procedures.

It is understood other schools are also reviewing their EOTC safety procedures in light of the Te Reinga incident.

The board would not comment while disciplinary procedures were under way with the staff involved but had issued a statement which said it expressed regret and remorse to the child and whanau involved in the incident at Te Reinga and would like to publicly apologise.

"A mana-enhancing restorative justice approach has been undertaken, working with the whanau, staff and wider whanau of the kura in line with the philosophy of Te Aho Matua."

Te Aho Matua is the foundation document which lays down the principles which Kura Kaupapa Maori schools were committed to.

"The whanau/board focus is on unifying the whanau and continuing to follow our vision of fulfilling the proverb 'Kia tu rangatira ai hei raukura mo tana iwi'," the statement said.

Board of trustees spokesman Ropata Ainsley said a key lesson learned was that they should be vigilant at all stages in the care of children and follow the due processes that go with education outside the classroom.

"Vigilance is needed at all times but accidents do happen and when they do, the response should be in line with best practice for EOTC." APNZ