A Christchurch kura kaupapa is suggesting the Ministry of Education set up a third Maori language immersion school in the city instead of shifting one of the existing kura.
Education Minister Hekia Parata has abandoned plans to merge Te Whanau Tahi and Te Kura Whakapumau i Te Reo Tuturu o Waitaha after receiving a strong submission from both schools rejecting the idea.
However, one of the kura needs to be moved to the northern suburbs of Christchurch to give tamariki there better access to total immersion Maori language schooling.
The Trust Board Chair of Te Whanau Tahi, Huata Martindale, says instead of investing money in a relocation plan the government should invest it in a new school.
He says the school's supporting response to making Maori language medium education more accessible in Otautahi (Christchurch) would be to open up a satellite kura.
Mr Martindale says, with all the money that the government has available which is intended for moving one of the schools, why not use those funds to build a third kura kaupapa Maori.
