A small Northland school says the Ministry of Education is closing its senior classes without giving it the chance to fix problems.
The ministry says it is pulling classes for pupils in years 11 to 13 at Moerewa School because their NCEA achievement rates are alarmingly low.
The school is fighting the directive. Principal Keri Milne Ihimaera says it has requested more specific information from the Qualifications Authority about the NCEA results.
She says it's received some of that information and it shows that students missed out on very simple credits - something that would have been quite easy to fix, if the school had been given the opportunity to do so.
Ms Ihimaera says the senior class will be open to students next week when the second term starts.
She says the parents of its senior students support the school continuing to provide the classes.
Ms Ihimaera says the way education is delivered by mainstream schools doesn't work for Maori and that needs to change.
She says her school is being penalised for being as innovative as the kohanga movement and some kura kaupapa.
