Te Whānau o Awatope to continue into 2024 (and beyond).

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release: Wednesday, 13 December 2023

Apanui School focused on positive future following hui

A hui held yesterday (Tuesday, 12 December) to discuss the future of Apanui School’s Te Whānau o Awatope bilingual unit has led to a strong commitment from all present on ensuring a positive future for the tamariki.

The hui was facilitated by Ministry of Education representatives.  During the hui the school Board of Trustees and Principal acknowledged that the process to date should have been handled better, and offered an apology to whānau for the way things had been communicated.  

Some of the challenges facing the continuation of Te Whānau o Awatope classes in their current format were discussed, including ongoing recruitment issues.  Community members and kaumatua who were present shared their commitment to supporting the kura with te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

The Board and whānau reached an agreement about working towards maintaining Te Whānau o Awatope.  However, compromises will have to be made due to logistical and timeframe constraints for the beginning of the 2024. 

While the current format for the classes has to change, an effort has been made to keep groups of year 5 and 6 students together across two classes.  Both classes will have mainstream teachers who are committed to supporting tamariki and additional support will be brought in to enrich te reo me ōna tikanga.

The whānau would like to acknowledge how wonderful the community support has been during this time.  “We have seen offers of support through contributing time and expertise and a general passion for our tamariki and their pathways within education. The whānau and kura are looking forward to working together to ensure that all our tamariki can reach their potential across all domains of education and learning."

Similarly, the Board expressed their gratitude for the significant community support and to staff for the work they have been doing and for their commitment to ensuring the best possible outcomes for the tamariki. “We are also appreciative to the many who have come forward to lend their knowledge and skills in kaupapa Māori, and to the whānau representatives who have advocated on behalf of their tamariki.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Apanui School Principal
Simon Akroyd - 021 299 1926

Whanau representative

Hannah Simmonds – 027 2736462