Schools still struggling in Northland

Nine Northland schools remain under Ministry of Education intervention.

Nine Northland schools remain under Ministry of Education intervention despite the return of Northland College to self-governance.

The Kaikohe high school had been run by a commissioner since 2012, following concerns about unsafe buildings, poor financial management and ineffective governance.

However, earlier this month, following steady improvements, a new board of trustees held its first meeting under ministry-appointed chairman Ken Rintoul. Commissioner Chris Saunders will stay on at the school but as a limited statutory manager, a lesser form of intervention.

Other Northland schools that returned to self-governance this year are Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whangaroa, where a commissioner was appointed following a disputed board of trustees election, and Kerikeri Primary School, where the board resigned in an apparent bid to resolve an impasse with a principal who had been on leave for an extended period. Both schools had their boards reinstated in March.

Next in line is Mangamuka School, where a board of trustees election is due to be held on December 4.

However, three other schools have run into difficulties this year requiring ministry intervention. Limited statutory managers were appointed to help run Te Kura o Panguru in May and Oromahoe School in July, while a commissioner took over at Maungakaramea School in June after the six-person board walked out following tensions with the principal.

-Schools currently run by a commissioner are Te Hapua School, Ngataki School, Mangamuka School, Kaikohe Intermediate and Maungakaramea School. Schools with a limited statutory manager are Northland College, Tikipunga Primary, Te Kura o Panguru and Oromahoe School.