Former principal accused of not passing on complaints to school’s board
A former principal of a Māori immersion school in Christchurch is facing allegations that she failed to report complaints to the school's board. The Ministry of Education has confirmed it was not formally notified of these failures during the principal's tenure.
Why it matters
The case highlights governance and accountability issues within educational institutions and the challenges of oversight when school boards and ministries have distinct responsibilities.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waitaha in Christchurch. Photo / Google Maps
A former principal at a Christchurch school has been accused of not passing on complaints to the school’s board.
RNZ earlier revealed that the former principal of Māori immersion school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waitaha, Melissa Waitoa-Paki, resigned in June amid allegations she failed to protect the safety of children and manage conflicts of interest.
Last week RNZ obtained a series of documents from the school under the Official Information Act (OIA).
The documents include a March email from a police officer to the chair of the board and lawyers representing the school regarding a formal complaint about a staff member’s behaviour. RNZ understands the staff member is Waitoa-Paki.
The email is heavily redacted; however, RNZ understands the email also includes allegations that Waitoa-Paki did not pass on complaints to the board of the school.
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