A source close to the Pukekohe North school, who wished to remain anonymous, said the board was divided over whether the trip should go ahead because of missing information on essential forms, including documents regarding health and safety.
They claimed this resulted in major infighting between board members, which allegedly got so intense that members were left crying during heated meetings.
The Pukekohe North School trip to Fiji had to be taken in a private capacity after the board could not come to an agreement on whether they could go.
Papakura High principal Simon Craggs told the Herald Te Taamatatanga O Pukekohekohe’s trip was school-sanctioned. He was impressed by the robust paperwork prepared by his school, and the trip easily received full support from the board.
He confirmed the student hospitalised was not from his school.
Limited statutory manager Kevin Bush said he was appointed as a support person to Pukekohe North School’s acting principal in June, before he was ultimately appointed as statutory manager this month.
Bush was also appointed this month as a limited statutory manager at the embattled Wesley College.
Pukekohe North School board presiding member Ioane Ioane confirmed a student was hospitalised during the trip. The Herald understands they were admitted due to dehydration.
Ioane said other students also became ill.
The group went for five days, flying out on December 2 and returning on December 7.
Social media posts from the trip show the group attending local schools and performing kapa haka, eating local food, kayaking, snorkelling and touring around remote islands.
The board confirmed one person was hospitalised during the trip.
Ioane said the board was not privy to the exact medical details, and those on the trip were not required to follow the school’s standard health and safety protocols, as it was not school-sanctioned.
He said it was originally intended to be a school-sanctioned excursion, but the board was unable to reach an agreement.
“This was due to the absence of several members and others who were required to recuse themselves due to conflicts of interest.”
He claimed members of the board held “opposing views” regarding the trip, but the main reason it did not receive official school status was the “procedural inability to reach a formal board decision”.
“Despite multiple attempts to convene a board meeting to review documentation and formally endorse the travel, the board was unable to reach a quorum.”
The Te Kapa Haka o Te Raki O Pukekohe kapa haka troupe attending a local school in Fiji
However, since the students had worked tirelessly fundraising and their parents had already paid a lot of money that would not be refundable, it was decided to go ahead in a private capacity.
Ioane said the board’s focus remained “on the wellbeing of our students and maintaining a transparent relationship with our community”.
“While this trip was conducted privately, the students shared what they had learnt through engaging with a local Fijian school, and we are pleased that everyone returned home safely.”
The Herald asked the Ministry of Education whether the appointment of a limited statutory manager at the school was linked to infighting on the school board over the Fiji trip.
Deputy Secretary of Education Isabel Evans said complex situations sometimes arose between board members, and school communities could benefit from “additional governance expertise”.
“In those cases, the ministry may appoint an experienced external professional to support the board and help strengthen its systems and processes.
“Our focus now is on making sure the board has the right support in place.
“This allows everyone to stay focused on positive, practical solutions, and on continuing to deliver the best outcomes for students, staff and whānau.”
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