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17/11/2025
Spencer Jones
[FYI request #32595 email]
Tēnā koe Spencer
OIA: 1354235 - Te Huruhi Primary School’s Te Reo Māori curriculum and related practices
Thank you for your email of 17 October 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) that was
partially transferred to Te Huruhu Primary School on 30 October 2025. The remainder of your
request for the following information sits with the Ministry as follows:
3. Compliance with the Education and Training Act 2020 (ETA), particularly Sections 58
and 59, including:
a) Any audits, reviews, or assessments conducted by the Ministry on Te Huruhi
Primary School’s adherence to ETA requirements for optional religious or spiritual
instruction, informed parental consent (opt-in processes), and separation from the
standard curriculum.
c) Records of complaints or inquiries received by the Ministry about Te Huruhi Primary
School’s curriculum, including those related to religious neutrality, consent, or the
New Zealand Bil of Rights Act 1990 (Sections 13 and 14).
4. Ministry correspondence and involvement:
a) Al communications between the Ministry of Education and Te Huruhi Primary
School (including the Principal, Board of Trustees, or staff) from 1 January 2025 to
the present, regarding the Te Reo Māori curriculum, Te Ao Māori integration,
religious/spiritual elements, parental inquiries, or compliance issues. This includes
any involvement or advice from Ministry officials, such as Clinton Rowe.
b) Any internal Ministry memos, emails, reports, or notes related to the above topics
for Te Huruhi Primary School.
5. Broader policy and guidance:
a) Ministry guidelines or frameworks provided to state primary schools on integrating
Te Reo Māori and Te Ao Māori while ensuring secular education and compliance
with ETA Sections 58-59, the New Zealand Bil of Rights Act 1990, and Article 14 of
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
b) Any data or reports on national trends in parental complaints about spiritual
elements in school curricula, including how such complaints are resolved.
8 Gilmer Terrace, Levels Ground floor, 1, 2, and 6-14, Wellington
PO Box 1666, Wel ington 6140 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
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Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry needs to extend the timeframe for responding to your request, pursuant to section
15A(1)(b) of the Act, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a
proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit. You can now expect to
receive a response to your request on or before 15 December 2025, which is an extension of 20
working days.
You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate our decision to extend the timeframe for
responding to this request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Cindy McDonald
Principal Advisor
Government, Executive and Ministerial Services
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