Dialogue: Far North's real achievers deserve a place in the sun

The people of Herekino had good reason to clam up when the national media descended after a tragic house fire, writes DAVID HAMMOND*.

The headline in the Weekend Herald said it all: "Poverty, tragedy and hope in the valley of death." Is it any wonder that Herekino locals are reluctant to speak to the national media?

Mind you, all of the Far North has a phobia about the national media. It's not that the reporting is inaccurate or untrue. But it is often unbalanced and superficial, lacking any intelligent analysis. In the minds of many Far Northerners, the national media is the devil incarnate.

Few, if any Far Northerners will dispute that there is a drug problem or that there is a high level of comparative poverty in the district. But the stereotype portrayed by the national media, that every individual in the Far North is stoned out of their little minds, is so wide of the mark as to be contemptible.

As an alumnus of Herekino Primary School and Kaitaia College, I am used to the Far North district being stigmatised by the media as an area where underachievement is condoned in the community.

This image is true if you do not scratch below the surface. But look a little harder and you will find many high achievers who hail from the Far North.

Many of the high flyers have to leave the district if they wish to purse their sporting, academic and business careers. Unfortunately, many journalists fail to acknowledge that the brain drain affecting New Zealand has been going on in the Far North for years.

From New Zealand rugby league player Craig Smith, to national squash representatives Shelley Kitchen and Lara Petera, and New Zealand under-21 netball captain Angelina Yates, the Far North continues to produce more elite sportspeople than its population suggests.

On top of this, it has produced numerous rugby and rugby league internationals, as well as equestrian three-day eventing Olympic bronze medallist Andrew Bennie. Not bad for a bunch of dope smoking underachievers.

So you are thinking, okay, they might be all right at sports, but I bet they are a thick bunch. So let's break another illusion. From among my peer group at Kaitaia College (and I use the term peer group loosely), there are doctors, optometrists, engineers, lawyers, medical researchers, industrial chemists, pharmacists, accountants, architects, teachers, journalists and university educated farmers.

If you think I'm biased, you would be right. My mother has just completed a four-year stint as the chairwoman of the Kaitaia board of trustees. But don't take my word for it. Go to the Education Review Office website and read its latest reports on Kaitaia College and Herekino primary school.

The summary of the latest report on Kaitaia College states: "The board provides good quality education services. Trustees have provided well for the wide range of interests and abilities of students. Particularly noteworthy are the courses available for senior students.

"Overall, the students receive a sound education in a settled and ordered learning environment. Teachers' planning, learning programmes and assessment practices are of good quality and have improved since the 1996 Education Review Office report. Sound curriculum management systems underpin learning programmes.

"The board and staff provide good student support services from the resources available. School spirit and a sense of belonging are promoted in a number of ways. Students respond positively to their supportive learning environment. They work hard and there is an atmosphere of respect and cooperation."

As for Herekino primary, the ERO said: "Herekino School is effectively governed and managed. The well-documented revised school charter and board policy manual provide clear directives to staff. Trustees, the principal and staff work collaboratively to implement learning programmes that are relevant, well resourced and targeted at students learning needs.

"The principal and the board have established a high standard of organisational performance and accountability. They are developing a professional climate of evaluation and ongoing improvement. Considerable progress has been made since the 1997 ERO report to strengthen all aspects of school operations. This progress is particularly evident in improved curriculum, personnel, financial and property management.

"The values and aspirations of parents and the school community are reflected in student learning outcomes. Students receive a balanced curriculum and teachers endeavour to include a strong Maori dimension in learning programmes. Teachers create positive, supportive and stimulating learning environments. They set high expectations of student work and behaviour. Student achievement is acknowledged and the progress of individual students is monitored carefully."

These reports suggest that there is a little more to Far North communities than meets the eye of the average journalist.

What they hint at is something called pride, and it is pride that prevents this community from airing its dirty linen in public for the gratification of the media.

Now if people in places of authority actually listened and acted on the information provided by Far North communities, they might just be a bit more open.

But why should people open up to the media if it only serves to entertain and titillate the masses before the next big story comes along?

* David Hammond, a recent graduate of Waikato University, will soon attend the London School of Economics.