13 June 2000 Media Statement

Update on St Stephen's issue

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said work is continuing on the future of St Stephen's School in Bombay.

Trevor Mallard met today with members of St Stephen's Trust Board.

He has also met with the school principal and senior staff, ERO officials, Ministry of Education officials, old boys of the school, and Government Maori MPs.

"ERO are working on completing a final report on the current situation. I am still some way off putting the Government's formal response to either the school or the trust board.

"Until I am in a position to do so, it would be innapropriate to expand on this publicly.

"However, along with the current situation at the school, some of the issues we are taking into account are the history of the school and the need to provide quality education for Maori as part of the Government's closing the gaps objective," Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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