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Regional | Education

The future of Hato Petera College under discussion

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has arrived at Hato Pētera to sit down with family and mana whenua to discuss the future of the school.

Hato Petera College is a Māori integrated co-educational Catholic college that was founded in 1928 and is now facing closure after ninety years of service.

The land the college resides on was gifted to the Catholic Church with conditions that they (the church) would maintain Māori education on the site.

Descendants of Ngāti Paoa have been occupying the land for the last few weeks by living in the wharenui at the school until further notice.

They say the land should be returned to them if it is not being used for Māori education purposes.

Last month, a group of supporters took to parliament to protest the school's potential closure and announced the filing of a Treaty claim to address the issue.