NZ Herald Headlines | Friday, February 13, 2026.
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A statutory manager has been brought in to take over the board of a South Auckland school.
Deputy Secretary of Education Isabel Evans ordered the appointment of a limited statutory manager (LSM) at Pukekohe North School.
The notice said the LSM would be taking over the management ofall financial duties, employment decisions, and the ability to establish policies and procedures.
The presiding member of the school’s board, Ioane Ioane, said it was a “standard governance-level appointment” that would focus on specific functions of the administration.
“The LSM will work alongside the board to support its responsibilities as an employer, review school policies and procedures, and manage financial operations.
“The appointment is intended to strengthen the board’s internal systems and make sure governance and human resource practices continue to support high-quality educational outcomes for students.”
He said daily operations at the school would not be affected.
Evans said the appointment would be reviewed regularly to ensure they continue to support “stability, effective governance, and confidence across the school community”.
Protesters handed over a 1000-strong petition to Ministry of Education officials calling for Pukekohe North School's board to be removed in 2021
The petition alleged students had been discriminated against, insulted and no longer felt safe.
It also said there was a lack of support from management to raise Māori achievement.
Dozens of people marched from Ngaa Hau e Whaa Marae to the school in August and presented the petition to Ministry of Education officials.
The school’s 2024 annual report said “disparities remained” for “Māori learners and those identified as neurodiverse or with high learning needs”.
It said the needs of the more than 50 students on their learning support register were not being fully met, and it was going to be a priority going forward.
Attendance was also a major challenge for the school, with only 78% of its students regularly attending class.
The school had a roll size of approximately 393 students in 2024 and enrolled students from years 1 to 8.
