WELLINGTON - Education Minister Trevor Mallard has questioned a Waitangi Tribunal recommendation that a tiny Bay of Plenty school be reopened.
Mr Mallard said the report failed to recognise that the standard of education at Mokai School had been unacceptable before the Ministry of Education closed it last October.
"A lot of
resources have [now] been put into other schools to try to bring these kids up to scratch," he told National Radio.
He would make a decision on reopening the school after a meeting with the local community next month.
The nine-pupil Mokai School, a bilingual school west of Taupo, closed last October amid local protests, including an application to the High Court.
The applicants alleged the closure was a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi but Justice Hammond denied the application.
The Waitangi Tribunal ruled on Monday, however, that the school should reopen next week.
Mr Mallard said the tribunal wanted the Education Ministry to give the school enhanced resourcing and support for two years.
It would be impractical to reopen the school in such a short time, but the Government would address the issues raised by the tribunal, including the recommendation to reopen the school, he said.
- NZPA
