Commissioner steps in to run school

Larry Forbes will ensure students' learning is disrupted as little as possible.

A commissioner has been appointed to run a Far North school after a Ministry of Education investigation found irregularities in the way its Board of Trustees was elected.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whangaroa had been an education success story at Matauri Bay, with a rapidly expanding roll and the recent opening of a $3 million wharekura (secondary school), but it ran into trouble late last year.

Principal Louisa Mutu was dismissed, teachers were locked out over the summer break, and the roll plummeted from 103 to fewer than 40 at the beginning of the current school year. Some parents also believed a Board of Trustees election in June last year was improperly carried out.

It appears the ministry agrees because the school board was dissolved yesterday and a commissioner appointed to govern the kura until fresh elections can be held.

The ministry's head of sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said a review had found errors in the way last year's election was conducted. The review was prompted by complaints from the community.

Errors included not advertising a call for nominations in a local newspaper and failing to post forms to all potential voters.

The board had been offered the option of running a new election, with ministry support, but declined.

Larry Forbes, who is coming to the end of his two-year tenure at Pamapuria School near Kaitaia, was yesterday appointed commissioner of the kura.

Ms Casey said Mr Forbes would work with the community to set up an advisory group of whanau to guide and support him.

"He will ensure students' learning is disrupted as little as possible while he works with the community to run a new election. Once he takes up the post, he will report back to us on the expected time frame for new elections."

Once a new election had been held, the commissioner was usually able to hand responsibility for governance back to the board.

Mr Forbes had a strong track record of resolving issues at schools and working with communities, she said.

Ms Casey said the ministry only intervened as a last resort. Te Runanganui, the national body representing kura kaupapa, had been fully consulted. The kura's recently-appointed principal would remain in place.

Outgoing board chairman Terry Smith was in Wellington yesterday and could not be contacted for comment.

Ministry intervenes
Eleven Northland schools are under some form of intervention, the Ministry of Education says.

Two have limited statutory managers in place while nine have commissioners, a more drastic form of intervention. Nationally, 60 of New Zealand's 2500 primary and secondary schools are under intervention.

In recent weeks Moerewa School has gone back to being self-governing after a controversial two-year intervention, while Kerikeri Primary and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whangaroa have joined the list of schools run by commissioners, the former after the board of trustees resigned in an apparent bid to force the ministry to intervene.

Schools with limited statutory managers
*Kaikohe Intermediate (since August 2013)
*Omanaia School (September 2013)

Schools with commissioners
*Northland College (since June 2012)
*Kaitaia Abundant Life School (April 2013)
*Kerikeri Primary School (June 2014)
*Ngataki School (October 2013)
*Te Hapua School (September 2013)
*TKKM o Whangaroa (June 2014)
*Pamapuria School (August 2012)
*Poroti School (August 2013)
*Tangowahine School (February 2014)