Former principal questions Taihape Area School s 13ha farm transfer 15 Mar, 2021 09:48 PM 9 minutes to read Taihape locals pitched in to buy and set up a 13-hectare farm for students 30 years ago. Photo / RNZ RNZ By Phil Pennington for RNZ How do officials in Wellington come to take a small farm off a struggling school in Taihape, when they said they wouldn t sell it if the children still used it? The local MP, and the former principal and school board chair, all say it amounts to the government stealing the farm from the town. Read More Advertisement The college was closed in 2004.
Ministry of Education accused of stealing Taihape teaching farm 14 Mar, 2021 09:42 PM 10 minutes to read The teaching farm, once owned by the college and now leased by Taihape Area School. Photo / Supplied The teaching farm, once owned by the college and now leased by Taihape Area School. Photo / Supplied RNZ By Phil Pennington of RNZ Government officials are being accused of stealing a farm bought by a central North Island town for their schoolchildren to learn agriculture. Taihape people established the teaching farm on 12 hectares next to Taihape College 30 years ago but the Ministry of Education took and put it in the landbank for Treaty settlements, and the school can now only lease it.
The Education Ministry's sale of Taihape Area School's educational farm asset to put into the Treaty settlements landbank has divided a community and raised issues over the legality of the move.
Ministry of Education accused of 'stealing' Taihape teaching farm nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The teaching farm, once owned by the college and now leased by Taihape Area School. Photo: Supplied Taihape people established the teaching farm on 13 hectares next to Taihape College 30 years ago but the Ministry of Education has taken it and put it in the landbank for Treaty settlements, and the school can now only lease it. The Ombudsman is looking at whether to investigate. It s very unfortunate. I think you could effectively say that the community asset has been stolen by the Education Ministry, Rangitīkei National MP Ian McKelvie said. And of course, it s gotten into the process now where it s very difficult to get it back from.