Calls for Hato Petera College to be reinstated as a boarding school

Saturday, 14 April 2018

A formal process has begun to close Hato Petera College in Auckland's Northcote.

A question mark looms over what will happen to Auckland's Hato Petera College's land if the school's doors close.

Earlier this month it emerged the former Māori boarding school's role had dropped to a single student, and Education Minister Chris Hipkins said consultation would begin about the possible cancellation of the school's integration agreement.

The school, on Auckland's North Shore, has struggled with a declining role and resources, particularly since becoming a day school at the end of 2016. A group including former students is pressing for the school's boarding status to be reinstated.

According to Catholic Diocese of Auckland documents, the closure of the school would enable its facilities to be used by an alternative education provider.

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The Tauira Tawhito Steering Komiti is pushing for Hato Petera's boarding facilities to be reinstated.

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Hato Petera commissioner Lex Hamill says the school's gymnasium car park is currently being rented out to help generate income.

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* Community united in fight to save Hato Petera College from closure**

Although the diocese would not comment on what an alternative education provider would look like, diocese spokeswoman Lyndsay Freer said the land would continue to be used for educational purposes as set out in a deed of grant from 1850.

'The land was gifted to us for the purposes of education and we intend to honour that condition,' she said.

The diocese said in the event of closure, the history of the school, on Auckland's North Shore, would not be forgotten.

Its Te Kamaka Marae would continue to be available to former students and the Catholic Māori community.

Hato Petera's commissioner, Lex Hamill, said it was up to the diocese what it chose to do with the land, and said he had not had any meetings with the diocese on the topic.

'It's a matter for the diocese rather than me.'

Hamill said Hato Petera's lands could potentially be used for charter schools that wished to become special character schools and were in need of new premises.

'Special character schools could be easily accommodated on such a site.'

Hamill said the only school facility being used to his knowledge was the gymnasium car park, which had been rented out to help generate income.

Mark Bowater, Auckland Council's head of parks services, said Hato Petera's fields were well used by North Harbour Rugby over summer.

But 11 former students, parents and a kaumatua of the school said they were determined to keep the doors open.

They have formed the Tauira Tawhito Steering Komiti and have held two hui this month to strategise increasing Hato Petera's roll.

'We're very clear about the direction we need to move forward,' Phyllis Pomare, the mother of last remaining student Stephanie Pomare, said.

That direction involved reinstating the school's boarding facilities and moving away from only allowing baptised Catholics to attend the school.

Pomare, along with fellow committee member and spokesperson Ratahi Tomuri, said both changes had harmed the enrolment process.

'For the likes of those who live out of Auckland, it's a necessity for parents to have,' Tomuri said.

But the committee's work also went much deeper than increasing the roll, Tomuri said, and was about addressing the fundamental issues associated with closing a school like Hato Petera.

'This is about the future of Māori children, not just about the negative stigma of the school.'