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Number of schools threatened by ministry - NZEI

Updated at 8:14 pm on 17 September 2011

The New Zealand Education Institute says it knows of a number of schools that were threatened with limited statutory management by the Ministry of Education, despite the ministry denying it did so.

Appointing a limited statutory manager allows the ministry to intervene in the operation of a school.

NZEI president Ian Leckie says most schools he spoke with were told the action would be taken because of a disclaimer in their charter about national standards.

The ministry says it has not recommended the appointment of a limited statutory manager for any board to date, but Mr Leckie says he was led to believe otherwise.

He says he believes the ministry needs to clarify its position, so that schools have some certainty about whether to expect such a move.

Mr Leckie says he has advised schools to change their charter in order to avoid further action.

Northland school says it was contacted

Aranga School, a 42-pupil school north of Dargaville, says it has been told it will be put under the control of a limited statutory manager because it included a disclaimer in its charter about national standards.

The school's charter says the standards are being implemented under a directive from the Ministry of Education.

Principal Myles Ferris says he was contacted by someone from the ministry on Friday who told him that it would put schools with such disclaimers under statutory management and that the process for his school would be initiated on Monday.

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