Ministry fails sect schools
TWO schools run by the Cooperite Christian sect have been refused provisional licences by the Ministry of Education.
Ministry and Department of Social Welfare officials, acting on information from the police, visited a school and an early childhood centre at the Cust Christian Community’s Haupiri property in north Westland.
The information was given as part of a continuing investigation into alleged sexual abuse at the sect’s communities at Cust and on the Coast. The leader of the sect, Neville Cooper, has been arrested on indecent assault charges, some involving teenagers.
The ministry’s Christchurch manager, Mr Bede Cooper, said yesterday he was not satisfied with the facilities at the school or the tuition available at the early childhood centre and would not grant a provisional licence.
Mr Cooper said the ministry had agreed to allow the schools to remain open pending another visit next month, provided the community took- the necessary steps to conform with the law.
If they did not, the schools might be closed.
Children at the school at Haupiri were being taught in a room that was only half the size the ministry required for the size of the class. The school did not have permits from the Department of Health or Fire Safety, and the ministry also had some concerns about its curriculum.
The early childhood centre did not have a supervisor with the required training to do the job. The centre would probably meet the requirements of a play group, however, and the ministry had advised the community to register it as such.
As a play group, no instruction could take place and the children’s parents would have to be present at all times.
Mr Cooper said that in fairness to the community, the population at Haupiri was transient, and the sect planned to build a new school that met all ministry standards and building codes.
As long as another location for the school was found soon, the ministry would take no further action in the meantime. However, the school would still have to meet the requirements of the Education Review Office before it could be formally registered.
ERO audits examine health and safety aspects, curriculum, processes for monitoring student progress, and general compliance with the Education Act. ‘
Mr Cooper said the ministry and the former Department of Education had always had some reservations about the quality of the curriculum being offered at the sect’s other school at Springbank, Cust, but over-all it was satisfactory. He expected the Haupiri situation to be similar.