The number of schools in Otago requiring Ministry of Education intervention has more than doubled in the past year.
Concern over the operations of seven Otago schools prompted the ministry to intervene in their management in 2010.
Ministry figures showed four of the interventions were initiated in Otago schools in 2010 - the other three were continued from the previous year. Two of the interventions remained in place at the end of last year.
The number of interventions in 2010 was a marked increase on the three cases recorded in 2009 and 2008, and the single case in 2007.
Otago's increase in 2010 did not reflect the national trend. The ministry's national figures showed specialist help was instituted in 54 schools last year - a drop of 10 from 2009.
In 2008, there were 55 cases, while 54 cases were reported in 2007.
Under the Education Act 1989, the ministry can intervene in the management of a school when it believes there is risk to the operation of the school, or the welfare or educational performance of the pupils.
Many factors can lead to intervention, from problems with the board of trustees to fund mismanagement or pupil trouble. Although all cases go through the same process, each is a unique operation.
Tomahawk School, Corstorphine School, Caversham School, TKKM o Otepoti, Kaikorai Valley College, Otepopo School and Waikouaiti School had interventions imposed, ranging from the dissolution of a school's board and appointment of a commissioner, to bringing in a limited statutory manager or specialist adviser.
Tomahawk School in Ocean Grove and Corstorphine School in Dunedin had people appointed by the ministry under 78M of the Education Act in 2010 to advise the schools on their finances and employment. Both schools were closed last year, in April and July respectively, due to declining school rolls.
TKKM o Otepoti in Dunedin also had a person appointed under 78M of the Education Act in 2010, but it was to help raise the achievement of pupils at the Maori immersion school.
The school was returned to self-governance in September 2010.
Specialist advisers were appointed by the ministry under 78K at Waikouaiti in 2009 and at Caversham School last year, after concerns about their boards of trustees' organisation and management.
Caversham School was returned to self-governance in April 2010, but a specialist adviser remains at Waikouaiti School.
The board of trustees at Otepopo School in Herbert was dissolved and a commissioner was appointed to replace the board in 2009 under 78N(1), after an Education Review Office report concluded important government and management issues at the school had not been addressed. The intervention continued into 2010 when the school was closed in September.
The ministry intervened at Kaikorai Valley College in August 2009 under 78M of the Education Act when an auditor reported concerns with the school's finances.
Principal Philip Craigie said the school had gone from a financial surplus in 2008 to a significant deficit in 2009.
Thanks to excellent advice from a limited statutory finance manager who was appointed by the ministry, he said, the school had turned the "huge deficit into a small surplus" in 2010.
The statutory manager would remain at the school until the school's case was reviewed again this year, Mr Craigie said.
SPECIFIC ACTIONS
Types of Government intervention under the Education Act 1989:
• 78J Ministry requests information from the board
• 78K Specialist adviser provides advice to the board
• 78L Ministry requires the board to prepare and carry out an action plan
• 78M The appointee holds specified powers of the board
• 78N (1) The board is dissolved and a commissioner is appointed to replace the board
• 78N (3) The board is dissolved and a commissioner is appointed to replace the board where it is not technically able to function
