Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngaringaomatariki principal Reno Skipper is looking forward to the school moving to a new campus in Kaiwaka. Photo / NZME
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngaringaomatariki principal Reno Skipper is looking forward to the school moving to a new campus in Kaiwaka. Photo / NZME
A Māori immersion school at Kaiwaka, which locals tried to stop, is expected to open by early 2028.
The school is one of two Northland kura that will share a $28 million Government funding boost.
The bulk of the funding will go to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatarikito relocate from its current prefab-style site in Ōruawharo to a purpose-built campus about 11km away in Kaiwaka.
The remaining portion of the $28m will go to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga at Koutu, near Ōpononi, to build a new senior school block.
The kura moved to its current site beside the Hokianga Harbour in 2019 after receiving a $12m grant, but senior students have remained in temporary facilities.
The new kura at Kaiwaka will feature 19 classrooms and expand its current Year 0–8 offering to include secondary education.
The school’s current roll of 93 will have capacity for up to 160 students when its new campus is completed, with potential to increase to 260.
The project faced strong opposition from some Kaiwaka residents, who raised concerns about stormwater management, traffic, land stability, and the impact on the rural lifestyle.
Despite this, Independent Hearings Commissioner William (Bill) Smith gave the school the green light in December 2023, subject to conditions to mitigate potential adverse effects.
Principal Reno Skipper said the expansion will allow the kura to retain students who would otherwise leave the district to continue Māori immersion education elsewhere.
“We’ve got 14 kids that are Year Eight this year — so we don’t have to lose those kids and those families.”
Skipper acknowledged community concerns but believes the new campus will ultimately benefit the area.
“We understand the worries some locals had, but we’ve worked hard to address those through the planning process.
“What we’re building isn’t just a school — it’s a place where whānau can gather, where culture is celebrated, and where tamariki can thrive in an environment that reflects who they are.”
Skipper said Māori immersion education has proven successful for students academically and personally.
“Our kids learn in a way that connects them to their identity, their whakapapa, and their language. That connection builds confidence, resilience, and pride.
“We see it every day — ākonga who are grounded, who know where they come from, and who are achieving across the board.”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga, built in 2019, with principal Shell Sarich (inset). Photos / supplied
Even though some students travel up to 2.5 hours to attend, the kura boasts the best attendance rates in Northland — a factor Skipper said contributed to strong academic outcomes.
“I think once they [opponents] see the positive changes that we can make and the type of kids that we’re growing, I think we’re going to see a real turn in that opinion.”
Construction is expected to begin within the next 12 months using modular building methods, with hopes to open by Matariki 2027, though early 2028 is more likely, Skipper said.
Shell Sarich, principal of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Tonga o Hokianga, said the new senior block will complete that kura’s symbolic campus design.
“Our whole school is in the shape of a waka hourua [double-hulled canoe] to signify the coming of Kupe into the Hokianga Harbour. So the new block of the secondary site will be the arai, which is the sail, which will [symbolically] guide the rest of the students.”
She described the kura as a vital part of the community:
The two Northland kura are the largest beneficiaries of the initiative, which aims to deliver up to 50 new classrooms nationwide and support about 1,100 ākonga.
A Ministry of Education spokesperson said for commercial reasons, it was not yet possible to disclose details of how the money would be apportioned.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast
