Hastings Boys' High School fell behind in the reporting of annual accounts. Photo / Supplied
Hastings Boys' High School fell behind in the reporting of annual accounts. Photo / Supplied
Hastings Boys’ High School says its financial reporting is now back on track after the Ministry of Education had to step in to help the school meet its obligations.
A limited statutory manager (LSM) was appointed for the school earlier this year by the Ministry and remains in place.
Thatwas due to audits of financial accounts not being completed by the school for the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
School principal Rob Sturch said that appointment had nothing to do with the misuse of any finances, but was rather about the filing of annual accounts.
“We got a couple of years behind in filing our annual accounts, and that is all it was,” he said.
“The statutory manager came in and just gave us some guidance with our accounts, and we are all up to date.”
Sturch said in some cases, a statutory manager can be appointed to replace a school’s entire board of trustees, but in this case “they did not take over the board at all” and “this was a limited statutory manager that just gave advice about our accounting”.
Hastings Boys' High School principal Rob Sturch. Photo / NZME
He said it was his understanding the intervention would conclude at the end of this month, as “all our accounts are now with the auditors”.
Ministry of Education hautū te tai whenua [central deputy secretary] Jocelyn Mikaere said the limited statutory manager was making sure “regular monitoring, evaluation and reporting in relation to financial delegations takes place”.
“The limited statutory manager was appointed in May 2022, because audits of financial accounts from 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 had not been completed,” she said.
“The aim of any intervention is always to return the school to full self-management as soon as the recommendations of the intervention have been met.
“Once the statutory intervention ends, we monitor progress and maintain an informal level of support for whatever period is necessary to sustain the positive change.”
No other schools in Hawke’s Bay have had a limited statutory manager appointed this year.
