Mallard stands firm on Northland school closure

Education Minister Trevor Mallard is not backing down on a decision to close a Northland school despite locals renaming it and vowing to run it themselves.

Orauta School, which has a roll of 29 pupils, was told last Friday it was one of nine Northland primary schools to be shut down.

Following the decision, the community renamed the school Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Maara o Hineamaru Ki Orauta (Maori school in the garden of our ancestor Hineamaru in Orauta) and vowed it would continue, funded by a Maori trust.

Mr Mallard said the actions would not save the school. However, no immediate action was planned.

"It's not due to close until the end of the year and I think we will focus on that at that time [and] appropriate action can be taken."

Orauta School's board of trustees chairman, Ken Brown, said the school would continue as a private school with its own curriculum.

"We will continue our occupation of the site. We will not leave or give up possession."

- NZPA