Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Parata choosing job over identity says kohanga teacher

Updated at 1:42 pm on 30 April 2012

Education Minister Hekia Parata is being accused of choosing her job over her identity by directing a Far North school to close its senior classes.

Ms Parata last week sacked the board of Moerewa School in Northland which resisted an order to close classes over the quality of the pupils' education.

The kaiako (teacher) at Te Toka Ahuru kohanga in Porirua Vaine Daniels says she's disappointed with the way the Minister of Education has dealt with the school.

Ms Daniels says she's ashamed that Ms Parata is Maori and asks if the minister wants to impress her leader, John Key, rather than believing in Moerewa, which was taking a Maori approach.

Moerewa School says the Ministry of Education didn't give it the chance to fix up what it described as minor problems.

The school's board's been sacked and a commissioner has been appointed by the Government.

Te Manu Korihi twice asked Hekia Parata's office for a response from the minister, but the requests were declined.

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