Latest news with #Achmad
1News
5 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
Children's Commissioner calls for urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School
The Children's Commissioner is calling for the urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School, saying she has zero confidence that students are safe. School leaders must next week show the Ministry of Education that they are fixing problems identified in a July Education Review Office (ERO) report or it will consider cancelling the private school's registration. The deadline loomed at a time of leadership change at the West Coast Christian community, with Howard Temple resigning as Overseeing Shepherd following his conviction for sexual offending. The ERO report found the school had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students, marking Gloriavale's second failed audit in as many years. Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said the school should not remain open and called on the government to show bravery and protect children's rights. ADVERTISEMENT "I'm hugely concerned to see yet another report from ERO outlining a very troubling situation at the Gloriavale school. This is now clear-cut. I'm calling for the school to be closed. I have zero confidence about children's physical and emotional safety and well-being at the school," she said. Achmad said she had raised her concerns with the ministry. "The evidence has mounted now to a point where this is urgent. I repeat my call for the school to be closed so that the rights of children to education are upheld," she said. "The majority of people living at Gloriavale are children but it is well documented more widely that this is a coercive control environment that children are living in and that the community and the school is not a safe place for children. "It is clear that children in Gloriavale are having to deal with a range of risks to their rights and direct violations of their rights. This is a crucial opportunity for the government to step in to take brave action to protect children's rights in Gloriavale." If the ministry decided to close the school, Achmad said it would need to create a bespoke transition plan for Gloriavale children to access alternative education. Gloriavale Christian Community. (Source: ADVERTISEMENT Ministry of Education acting hautū (leader) Te Tai Runga (South) Andrea Williams said officials met Gloriavale school leaders on July 23 to express serious concerns about its compliance with registration requirements and issue a second formal "notice to comply". "To retain its registration as a private school, Gloriavale Christian School must submit an updated action plan that should outline how the school intends to meet the criteria that have not yet been satisfied. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for August 20, where the school is expected to present evidence of completed and ongoing actions," she said. "The ministry expects Gloriavale Christian School to take responsibility for addressing the unmet criteria independently and we are closely monitoring their progress. We understand the school has engaged an external education consultant to support these efforts. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including police fatally shoot a woman in Christchurch, sausages recalled over glass fears, and why McDonalds Japan isn't loving its customers right now (Source: 1News) "The ministry remains deeply concerned about the physical and emotional safety of students. The school has been advised that if it cannot present a viable plan within the required timeframe, cancellation of its registration as a private school is a possible outcome." Education Minster Erica Stanford said she had sought official advice about the school. "I have been kept up-to-date by my officials at ERO. They have serious concerns which is why they have gone in again, done a report, said here are the things that need to be fixed," she said. ADVERTISEMENT Asked if she thought children were safe at the school, Stanford repeated her remarks about the ERO's concerns. "I've made sure that they are going in regularly. I will be receiving that final report and we will make decisions after that," she said. Education Minster Erica Stanford. (Source: Under the Education and Training Act, the ministry could cancel the registration of a private school if it no longer met the criteria, including providing suitable premises, staffing, curriculum, or ensuring student safety and well-being. The step was considered only after other avenues had been exhausted and where there was clear and ongoing non-compliance, the ministry said. Gloriavale has been contacted for comment. While July's ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School staff were following the New Zealand curriculum and education provision was "slowly improving", it identified a lack of suitable staffing for enrolled students with complex additional needs who could not attend because of insufficient equipment to support their physical needs. ADVERTISEMENT The ERO report also noted the Teaching Council was investigating an allegation of staff misconduct and the school had been instructed to formally monitor the staff member. The report said about 40% of the 224 school-aged children at Gloriavale attended the school, while about half were home-schooled and the remainder were enrolled with Te Kura (formerly the Correspondence School). A damning 2023 ERO review found the school did not meet six of the eight criteria for private school registration and the provision of education was "inadequate and uncertain". Based on publicly available information, former Education Review Officer Paul Matthews told RNZ the ministry's process needed to happen "fairly urgently" because of the depth and extent of the school's non-compliance. Matthews, who was not involved with Gloriavale during his time at the ERO, said the best results were achieved with negotiation and consultation with school boards. If a school was forced to close, the ministry also had a responsibility to help children find an alternative place to go, he said. "Private schools rarely come up for cancellation because they rely on attracting fee-paying students, their public relations and profile is really important. They really can't afford to be offering an inferior product to state schools because they just wouldn't survive," he said. ADVERTISEMENT "Gloriavale is a different situation, almost unique because it's a closed community. Market forces really don't apply." Gloriavale Christian School sought to become an Independent Schools of New Zealand member last year but its application was declined. Gloriavale member David Stedfast — who is a defendant in a multi-million-dollar slavery class action brought by former members against the Christian community — was on placement at Paparoa Range School in June, according to the school's Facebook page. When approached by RNZ, board of trustees presiding member Louise Gault said the school could not comment on individual student teachers or related personal matters because of privacy obligations. "Paparoa Range School is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. We regularly host student teachers as part of their professional training, in partnership with accredited tertiary institutions," she said in a statement. "We take our responsibilities seriously and have robust processes in place to assess and manage placements, including consideration of any potential risks. Where appropriate, we seek advice from relevant authorities and act in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines." The deadline for the school loomed at a time of leadership change at the West Coast Christian community, with Howard Temple resigning as Overseeing Shepherd following his conviction for sexual offending. (Source: Pool) ADVERTISEMENT Last month, Temple pleaded guilty to five charges of indecent assault, five of doing an indecent act and two of common assault days into a judge-alone trial in Greymouth. On Tuesday, the community confirmed Stephen Standfast had replaced Temple as Overseeing Shepherd. "The Overseeing Shepherd of the Gloriavale Christian Community, Howard Temple, 85, has resigned," Gloriavale said in a statement. "His position has been taken by Stephen Standfast, who has been designated to replace Mr Temple for several years. Mr Temple succeeded the community's founder, Hopeful Christian, upon his death in 2018. In the years since then, he has led a campaign to establish policies around child safety and well-being, as well as workplace health and safety. "Mr Standfast, 48, has spent several years now working with outside agencies to support on-going changes for safety and well-being." Temple is on bail and would be sentenced in December. By Jean Edwards of
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Very troubling situation': Commissioner calls for Gloriavale school to be closed
By Jean Edwards of RNZ The Children's Commissioner is calling for the urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School on the West Coast, saying she has zero confidence that students are safe. School leaders must next week show the Ministry of Education that they are fixing problems identified in an Education Review Office (ERO) report in July or it will consider cancelling the private school's registration. The deadline loomed at a time of leadership change at the Christian community, with Howard Temple resigning as Overseeing Shepherd following his conviction for sexual offending. The ERO report found the school had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students, marking Gloriavale's second failed audit in as many years. Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said the school should not remain open and called on the government to show bravery and protect children's rights. "I'm hugely concerned to see yet another report from ERO outlining a very troubling situation at the Gloriavale school. This is now clear-cut. I'm calling for the school to be closed. I have zero confidence about children's physical and emotional safety and well-being at the school," she said. Achmad said she had raised her concerns with the ministry. "The evidence has mounted now to a point where this is urgent. I repeat my call for the school to be closed so that the rights of children to education are upheld," she said. "The majority of people living at Gloriavale are children but it is well documented more widely that this is a coercive control environment that children are living in and that the community and the school is not a safe place for children. "It is clear that children in Gloriavale are having to deal with a range of risks to their rights and direct violations of their rights. This is a crucial opportunity for the government to step in to take brave action to protect children's rights in Gloriavale." If the ministry decided to close the school, Achmad said it would need to create a bespoke transition plan for Gloriavale children to access alternative education. Ministry of Education acting hautū (leader) Te Tai Runga (South) Andrea Williams said officials met Gloriavale school leaders on 23 July to express serious concerns about its compliance with registration requirements and issue a second formal "notice to comply". "To retain its registration as a private school, Gloriavale Christian School must submit an updated action plan that should outline how the school intends to meet the criteria that have not yet been satisfied. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for 20 August, where the school is expected to present evidence of completed and ongoing actions," she said. "The ministry expects Gloriavale Christian School to take responsibility for addressing the unmet criteria independently and we are closely monitoring their progress. We understand the school has engaged an external education consultant to support these efforts. "The ministry remains deeply concerned about the physical and emotional safety of students. The school has been advised that if it cannot present a viable plan within the required timeframe, cancellation of its registration as a private school is a possible outcome." Education Minster Erica Stanford said she had sought official advice about the school. "I have been kept up-to-date by my officials at ERO. They have serious concerns which is why they have gone in again, done a report, said here are the things that need to be fixed," she said. Asked if she thought children were safe at the school, Stanford repeated her remarks about the ERO's concerns. "I've made sure that they are going in regularly. I will be receiving that final report and we will make decisions after that," she said. Under the Education and Training Act, the ministry could cancel the registration of a private school if it no longer met the criteria, including providing suitable premises, staffing, curriculum, or ensuring student safety and well-being. The step was considered only after other avenues had been exhausted and where there was clear and ongoing non-compliance, the ministry said. Gloriavale has been contacted for comment. While July's ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School staff were following the New Zealand curriculum and education provision was "slowly improving", it identified a lack of suitable staffing for enrolled students with complex additional needs who could not attend because of insufficient equipment to support their physical needs. The ERO report also noted the Teaching Council was investigating an allegation of staff misconduct and the school had been instructed to formally monitor the staff member. The report said about 40% of the 224 school-aged children at Gloriavale attended the school, while about half were home-schooled and the remainder were enrolled with Te Kura (formerly the Correspondence School). A damning 2023 ERO review found the school did not meet six of the eight criteria for private school registration and the provision of education was "inadequate and uncertain". Based on publicly available information, former Education Review Officer Paul Matthews told RNZ the ministry's process needed to happen "fairly urgently" because of the depth and extent of the school's non-compliance. Matthews, who was not involved with Gloriavale during his time at the ERO, said the best results were achieved with negotiation and consultation with school boards. If a school was forced to close, the ministry also had a responsibility to help children find an alternative place to go, he said. "Private schools rarely come up for cancellation because they rely on attracting fee-paying students, their public relations and profile is really important. They really can't afford to be offering an inferior product to state schools because they just wouldn't survive," he said. "Gloriavale is a different situation, almost unique because it's a closed community. Market forces really don't apply." Gloriavale Christian School sought to become an Independent Schools of New Zealand member last year but its application was declined. Gloriavale member David Stedfast - who is a defendant in a multimillion-dollar slavery class action brought by former members against the Christian community - was on placement at Paparoa Range School in June, according to the school's Facebook page. When approached by RNZ, board of trustees presiding member Louise Gault said the school could not comment on individual student teachers or related personal matters because of privacy obligations. "Paparoa Range School is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. We regularly host student teachers as part of their professional training, in partnership with accredited tertiary institutions," she said in a statement. "We take our responsibilities seriously and have robust processes in place to assess and manage placements, including consideration of any potential risks. Where appropriate, we seek advice from relevant authorities and act in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines." Last month, Temple pleaded guilty to five charges of indecent assault, five of doing an indecent act and two of common assault days into a judge-alone trial in Greymouth. On Tuesday, the community confirmed Stephen Standfast had replaced Temple as Overseeing Shepherd. "The Overseeing Shepherd of the Gloriavale Christian Community, Howard Temple, 85, has resigned," Gloriavale said in a statement. "His position has been taken by Stephen Standfast, who has been designated to replace Mr Temple for several years. Mr Temple succeeded the community's founder, Hopeful Christian, upon his death in 2018. In the years since then, he has led a campaign to establish policies around child safety and well-being, as well as workplace health and safety. "Mr Standfast, 48, has spent several years now working with outside agencies to support on-going changes for safety and well-being." Temple is on bail and will be sentenced in December.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Not a safe place': Commissioner wants Gloriavale school closed
By Jean Edwards of RNZ The Children's Commissioner is calling for the urgent closure of Gloriavale Christian School on the West Coast, saying she has zero confidence that students are safe. School leaders must next week show the Ministry of Education that they are fixing problems identified in an Education Review Office (ERO) report in July or it will consider cancelling the private school's registration. The deadline loomed at a time of leadership change at the Christian community, with Howard Temple resigning as Overseeing Shepherd following his conviction for sexual offending. The ERO report found the school had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students, marking Gloriavale's second failed audit in as many years. Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said the school should not remain open and called on the government to show bravery and protect children's rights. "I'm hugely concerned to see yet another report from ERO outlining a very troubling situation at the Gloriavale school. This is now clear-cut. I'm calling for the school to be closed. I have zero confidence about children's physical and emotional safety and well-being at the school," she said. Achmad said she had raised her concerns with the ministry. "The evidence has mounted now to a point where this is urgent. I repeat my call for the school to be closed so that the rights of children to education are upheld," she said. "The majority of people living at Gloriavale are children but it is well documented more widely that this is a coercive control environment that children are living in and that the community and the school is not a safe place for children. "It is clear that children in Gloriavale are having to deal with a range of risks to their rights and direct violations of their rights. This is a crucial opportunity for the government to step in to take brave action to protect children's rights in Gloriavale." If the ministry decided to close the school, Achmad said it would need to create a bespoke transition plan for Gloriavale children to access alternative education. Ministry of Education acting hautū (leader) Te Tai Runga (South) Andrea Williams said officials met Gloriavale school leaders on 23 July to express serious concerns about its compliance with registration requirements and issue a second formal "notice to comply". "To retain its registration as a private school, Gloriavale Christian School must submit an updated action plan that should outline how the school intends to meet the criteria that have not yet been satisfied. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for 20 August, where the school is expected to present evidence of completed and ongoing actions," she said. "The ministry expects Gloriavale Christian School to take responsibility for addressing the unmet criteria independently and we are closely monitoring their progress. We understand the school has engaged an external education consultant to support these efforts. "The ministry remains deeply concerned about the physical and emotional safety of students. The school has been advised that if it cannot present a viable plan within the required timeframe, cancellation of its registration as a private school is a possible outcome." Education Minster Erica Stanford said she had sought official advice about the school. "I have been kept up-to-date by my officials at ERO. They have serious concerns which is why they have gone in again, done a report, said here are the things that need to be fixed," she said. Asked if she thought children were safe at the school, Stanford repeated her remarks about the ERO's concerns. "I've made sure that they are going in regularly. I will be receiving that final report and we will make decisions after that," she said. Under the Education and Training Act, the ministry could cancel the registration of a private school if it no longer met the criteria, including providing suitable premises, staffing, curriculum, or ensuring student safety and well-being. The step was considered only after other avenues had been exhausted and where there was clear and ongoing non-compliance, the ministry said. Gloriavale has been contacted for comment. While July's ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School staff were following the New Zealand curriculum and education provision was "slowly improving", it identified a lack of suitable staffing for enrolled students with complex additional needs who could not attend because of insufficient equipment to support their physical needs. The ERO report also noted the Teaching Council was investigating an allegation of staff misconduct and the school had been instructed to formally monitor the staff member. The report said about 40% of the 224 school-aged children at Gloriavale attended the school, while about half were home-schooled and the remainder were enrolled with Te Kura (formerly the Correspondence School). A damning 2023 ERO review found the school did not meet six of the eight criteria for private school registration and the provision of education was "inadequate and uncertain". Based on publicly available information, former Education Review Officer Paul Matthews told RNZ the ministry's process needed to happen "fairly urgently" because of the depth and extent of the school's non-compliance. Matthews, who was not involved with Gloriavale during his time at the ERO, said the best results were achieved with negotiation and consultation with school boards. If a school was forced to close, the ministry also had a responsibility to help children find an alternative place to go, he said. "Private schools rarely come up for cancellation because they rely on attracting fee-paying students, their public relations and profile is really important. They really can't afford to be offering an inferior product to state schools because they just wouldn't survive," he said. "Gloriavale is a different situation, almost unique because it's a closed community. Market forces really don't apply." Gloriavale Christian School sought to become an Independent Schools of New Zealand member last year but its application was declined. Gloriavale member David Stedfast - who is a defendant in a multimillion-dollar slavery class action brought by former members against the Christian community - was on placement at Paparoa Range School in June, according to the school's Facebook page. When approached by RNZ, board of trustees presiding member Louise Gault said the school could not comment on individual student teachers or related personal matters because of privacy obligations. "Paparoa Range School is committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. We regularly host student teachers as part of their professional training, in partnership with accredited tertiary institutions," she said in a statement. "We take our responsibilities seriously and have robust processes in place to assess and manage placements, including consideration of any potential risks. Where appropriate, we seek advice from relevant authorities and act in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines." Last month, Temple pleaded guilty to five charges of indecent assault, five of doing an indecent act and two of common assault days into a judge-alone trial in Greymouth. On Tuesday, the community confirmed Stephen Standfast had replaced Temple as Overseeing Shepherd. "The Overseeing Shepherd of the Gloriavale Christian Community, Howard Temple, 85, has resigned," Gloriavale said in a statement. "His position has been taken by Stephen Standfast, who has been designated to replace Mr Temple for several years. Mr Temple succeeded the community's founder, Hopeful Christian, upon his death in 2018. In the years since then, he has led a campaign to establish policies around child safety and well-being, as well as workplace health and safety. "Mr Standfast, 48, has spent several years now working with outside agencies to support on-going changes for safety and well-being." Temple is on bail and will be sentenced in December.
Scoop
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Law Change Better Protecting Children's Rights In Sexual Violence Cases Welcomed
Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad says legislation passed last night to strengthen protections for young victims of sexual violence is a step in the right direction. The Victims of Sexual Violence Bill amends the law so that children under the age of 12 cannot be questioned about whether they consented to sex. 'It was wrong that this provision was still in our law, so I'm pleased the Government led work to change this. It's positive too, that there was support from many parties across Parliament for this change. When it comes to children and their rights, the best thing the Government and Parliament can do is to work together, putting children first. This is a good example of this,' says Dr Achmad. The Chief Children's Commissioner says that better protections for victims of sexual violence have been a long time coming. 'I've had the privilege of meeting with children and young people throughout New Zealand who are victim-survivors of sexual violence, and they talk to me about the systemic change that's needed to protect their rights and help them heal. 'While there's still much more to do, so that no child experiences sexual violence of any form, I strongly welcome the changes passed last night. They are important steps towards strengthening the rights of children and young people in court processes. 'I acknowledge the immense courage of victims, especially mokopuna survivors of sexual assault, who shared their lived experience to help shape the legislation,' she says. 'The changes to the law that recognise that mokopuna cannot consent to abuse, and that they should not be questioned or challenged about whether they consented to sex, are crucial to keeping them safe from re-traumatisation.' In its submission to Parliament on the Bill, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People's Commission supported the Bill's overarching goal to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to give victim survivors of sexual assault more agency in court processes. 'I also advocated for stronger protections for mokopuna aged 12-16 years in these court processes, and training and education for the legal sector and judiciary to ensure they apply the legislation as intended,' says Dr Achmad. 'I hope that the changes passed last night signal continued commitment and action to recognise the rights and wellbeing of children and young people in all court processes affecting them. 'Supporting mokopuna to have agency in these processes and to be recognised as the children that they are is so important – both upholding their rights and in ensuring they can begin their healing journey,' she says.
Scoop
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Systemic Change Crucial So That All Mokopuna Māori Thrive
Press Release – Mana Mokopuna The new report published today by my colleagues Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Childrens Monitor shows the urgent need for systemic change at a collective level, so that all mokopuna Mori can thrive. In light of a new report published today about outcomes for mokopuna Māori and whānau in the oranga tamariki system, the Chief Children's Commissioner is emphasising that all mokopuna Māori have the right to grow up safe and well with their whānau. 'The new report published today by my colleagues Aroturuki Tamariki | Independent Children's Monitor shows the urgent need for systemic change at a collective level, so that all mokopuna Māori can thrive. 'I want to see all agencies across the oranga tamariki system working better together to address the inequities highlighted in this report so that all mokopuna Māori are flourishing in their lives, in the care of their whānau. The State has duties to uphold the rights of mokopuna Māori as tangata whenua under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This new report shows that the system as a whole is still falling short of this, and that there are intergenerational impacts playing out right now. 'I meet frequently with whānau Māori and their mokopuna, iwi and hapū across the motu. They tell me it is whānau-led, iwi, hapū and kaupapa Māori approaches that are helping to strengthen whānau, keep mokopuna safe, and growing continued pathways to mana motuhake – self determination. The findings of this report back this up,' says Dr Achmad. The Chief Children's Commissioner notes that the report shows that good progress can be made where there is genuine partnership between Māori and State agencies that keeps mokopuna and whānau central, along with the sharing of data and resources. 'I want to see these approaches strengthened and expanded so they deliver enduring wraparound services and supports for all mokopuna and whānau who need them. A stronger focus on by Māori for Māori prevention and early intervention is essential. These approaches will improve outcomes so that all mokopuna Māori grow up safe and well in the care of their whānau, connected to their whakapapa.' She says safety concerns about mokopuna must be responded to appropriately and quickly, but that with almost half of Reports of Concern leading to no further action, the report shows this isn't happening. 'I want to see mokopuna Māori needs being met early, through Māori-led approaches working closely with whānau. These ways of working need to be better supported by the oranga tamariki system – the report highlights that this leads to the best outcomes for whānau and mokopuna. 'I am deeply concerned the report shows mokopuna Māori aged 10-17 are more likely to be prosecuted than non-Māori, and less likely to be referred by Police to alternative action or given warnings. The system must urgently stop criminalising the unmet care and protection needs of mokopuna Māori. 'Nearly 40 years have passed since the publication of Pūao-te-āta-tū. This new report shows that the system is still not working as it should be for whānau Māori and their mokopuna. The crucial change that is required must collectively meet the aspirations of whānau and mokopuna Māori,' says Dr Achmad.
