Students from Ōpōtiki College have relocated to Terere Moari marae, as well as other kura (schools) across the district, following increased exposure to black mould within its buildings.
Te Whakatōhea kaumātua Eruera Koopu says Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga/Ministry of Health was first alerted to the mould issue from the school three years ago. Koopu is now questioning Government as to why the problem wasn’t addressed back then.
“Ināianei kei te pēnei ngā taumahatanga mō ā mātou mokopuna, me ngā kaiako (This is now just added pressure for our kids and teachers),” Koopu said.
Though this has been unfortunate news for Ōpōtiki College, iwi leader Te Kahautu Maxwell says the relocation onto a papakāinga (communal village) environment allows students to learn the history and traditions of their people.
“Ka ako rātou ki te mahi tahi, ka ako ratou ki te noho tahi, ka ako rātou pehea te tiaki i te marae (They will learn how to work together, to sit together and will learn how to look after their marae).”
Te Whakatōhea is calling on the Government to assist them and the school with recent challenges that have arisen in the area. This incident follows the funeral of Mongrel Mob Barbarian leader Steven Taiatini last week, which led to an increased gang presence in Ōpōtiki.
“I raruraru i tērā wiki, i mea mai te kāwanatanga he hē nō mātou ki te kati i ngā kura katoa (Last week, it was the Government that said it was our fault that we shut the school down for safety reasons).
“I tēnei wiki, nā te kāwanatanga i kati tō mātou kāreti, he aha ai? Nā te haumaru anō hoki i te mea kei te māuiui te kura tawhito o te kāreti o Ōpōtiki (This week, it's the Government that’s shut Ōpōtiki College due to the poor state its in),” Maxwell said.
In a statement, Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga/Ministry of Health Head of Property Sam Fowler said reports of mould in the past were minor cases where they were quickly remedied with a surface clean.
Since then, increased concern from staff members prompted the school's principal to reach out to the ministry again for support, where a plan was put in place to investigate the cause of the mould growth and potential remedies.
"Initial results have identified black mould in three non-teaching spaces: a storage cupboard, a resource room, and the library," Fowler said.
Fowler said the results found three areas within the school where black mould was present: a resource space, a storage room and the library.
"Initial results have identified black mould in three non-teaching spaces: a storage cupboard, a resource room, and the library."
By Kataraina Anneff, Timoti Tiakiwai
SHARE ME