Education minister moves closer to closing Auckland's troubled Hato Pētera College

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

In early 2017, Hato Petera College boarding facilities were boarded up and the college started operating as a day school with 25-30 students. Now it has five students.

The 'waiting game' is almost over for Auckland's beleaguered Hato Pētera College, with Education Minister Chris Hipkins taking another step towards closing the school.

In April, Stephanie Pomare was Hato Pētera's only student. At that time, Hipkins announced a formal consultation process would start on the school's future.

Since then, the efforts of a former group of students has seen the roll increase to five students. But it isn't enough.

Now, Hipkins is proposing to cancel the school's integration agreement and has given the school's commissioner 28 days to review his interim decision.

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Hato Petera College boarding facilities in early February 2017. Boarded up and the college is operating as a day school with five students.

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Stephanie Pomare (centre) is surrounded by alumni and supporters of Hato Petera College. Pomare was the school's last remaining student in April, but a group's efforts to increase the roll and reinstate the school's boarding facilities has seen the roll rise by four students.

'Despite the extensive work of the commissioner, previous boards of trustees, teaching staff and the community, concerns about the college's finances, human resourcing, curriculum and its low student numbers remain,' Hipkins said in a statement on Tuesday.

'I've announced this publicly in the interest of transparency. I will not, however, be making any further comments until the final decision is made,' Hipkins said.

The commissioner, Hamill, told Stuff it would be his role within the next 28 days to look at whether there was any new information there was a degree of sustainability in Hato Pētera's future.

Hamill said this would involve looking at the school's financial sustainability, curriculum delivery and potential for roll growth.

The 'waiting game' hanging over the school's future was almost over in light of Hipkins' interim decision, which had seen matters enter a phase where 'due diligence' would be done, he said.

'The only way the school will remain open is a significant cash injection from the Ministry of Education and the diocese for two-fold reasons: one, with a roll of five you cannot maintain an organisation financially and, two, the diocese, which manages the property, would need to bring the school up to street appeal standard.'