Fears the Ministry of Education would not be able to afford to relocate Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepoti to the former High Street School site have been allayed by Associate Minister of Education Pita Sharples.
The kura is situated in Sunnyvale, south of Dunedin, and consultation with the school's parents and Mornington residents about a possible move to High St has been positive.
Concerns were raised about the ministry's ability to fund the move if it was approved, because of the financial stress placed on the ministry by significant damage to Christchurch schools in the February earthquake.
Dr Sharples said he had been advised the ministry was discussing the possibility of the move with whanau of the kura.
"The cost of moving is one issue under consideration, as well as the benefits of being in the middle of town.
"There is some property funding available to help the kura. Although no agreement has been finalised at this stage, the Christchurch earthquake has no financial implications for the move," he said.
Principal Amiria Stirling was delighted and encouraged by Dr Sharples' statement.
"That's really good to hear. It gives me and our community a huge confidence boost and a sense of focus.
"It was a major concern that funding may not be available," Miss Stirling said.
The High Street School board of trustees applied to the ministry last year to close the 123-year-old school because of severely declining rolls. It was officially closed on February 28 this year.
The Maori-immersion school was seriously considering a move to the High St premises because Maori parents in Dunedin believed the school was not as accessible as they would like.
For many parents, the kura was too distant for them to send their children to. And for other parents, sending their children to the kura was not possible because it was not on their way to work.
At present, the ministry is doing a feasibility study on the kura to see how a move might affect the school financially and how it would affect the pupils.
The information collated by the ministry and the community consultation meeting at High Street School will be considered, and a decision on the school's future is expected by the end of May.
