Newsletter 19 September, 2019
Dear Parents/Caregivers
Assalaamu AlaikumWRWB
NOTICE TO PARENTS, FROM THE COMMISSIONER
Thank you to the more than 60 parents who attended the meeting at school on the evening of Thursday September 12th. We had a positive, constructive discussion about future directions for Al-Madinah School.
There was a presentation regarding a research project to be conducted at the school by Massey University into the Gifted and Talented programme. Testing is showing many students to be achieving at very high levels and Massey University wants to know why that is the case.
We discussed possible security improvements for the school which are currently under consideration.
We also discussed the nature of how a state integrated school works in the New Zealand education system. Al-Madinah School is a state integrated school which means the school must teach the New Zealand curriculum, use New Zealand state assessment processes and employ New Zealand registered teachers and is permitted to retain its special character which in the case of Al-Madinah School, is an Islamic character . The school receives state funding to meet operational costs and the teachers salaries are paid by the State as if they were in regular state schools.
There was some discussion on the possibility of increasing the school’s maximum roll. Integrated schools often have a maximum roll which for Al-Madinah School is 550 students. The school is currently full with a waiting list of over 700 students. However, it is unlikely that the Ministry would allow an increase in the maximum roll until a Board of Trustees is in place.
In integrated schools the land and buildings are not owned by the state but by a proprietor who is responsible for providing the buildings and ensuring they are developed and maintained.For Al-Madinah School the trust is the Islamic Educational and Dawah Trust (I.E.D.) In return the I.E.D. Trust is permitted to charge attendance dues to fund the development of the land and buildings. Payment of those dues is compulsory in a state integrated school. For Al-Madinah School the attendance dues are $246 per student per year which is lower than most state integrated schools.
Parents were advised at the meeting that Al-Madinah School will be participating in the Government’s scheme to replace parental donations with a Government grant. That means that there will not be any parent donations requested from 2020. Parent donations are currently set at $54 per student per year. They will no longer be requested although camp costs are not covered by the scheme.
Parents were also advised that the Education Review Office (ERO) will be visiting the school in week one of term 4 (October 14 – 18) to conduct a review of the school. This is a regular review which would normally be expected at this time.
I outlined to the meeting that the reasons for the appointment of a Commissioner were because of concerns over the governance of the school and issues about financial management. The Ministry has contracted Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) to investigate the 2017 Financial Report. There was a report in the N.Z. Herald earlier in the year about that. At this time I am still waiting for the outcome of that investigation.
By way of assisting me in the governance role of the school, I have invited parent volunteers to form a parents advisory group to work with me in making decisions about the future of the school. Some parents have volunteered to participate in a parents advisory group which I would expect to meet probably twice each school term. If you would like to volunteer for the group please contact me on: bruce.w.adin@gmail.com
We intend to hold another general meeting of parents during Term 4.
Thank you
Wassalaam
Nga mihi nui
Bruce Adin QSO
Commissioner.
