10 Feb 2014

Charter kura gets little mainstream school support

7:33 am on 10 February 2014

Only one senior school in Whangarei is supporting the city's new kaupapa Maori charter kura.

Te Kura Hourua O Whangarei Terenga Paraoa needs help to deliver some subjects, such as science and visual arts, but the only agreement so far has been with Whangarei Boys High.

Pouwhakahaere of the new kura, Nathan Matthews, says other schools don't seem interested in offering support.

Dr Matthews says service will be supplied by the tertiary education providers NorthTec, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, and Te Wananga o Aotearoa. He says the school officially opens on 15 February.

Over the next week the 45 akonga (students) are on a marae tour of Ngapuhui territory, connecting with their culture.

Te Kura Hourua O Whangarei Terenga Paraoa hopes to eventually have a roll of 300 students.