The Ministry of Education has given Dunedin's Maori community a wake-up call, warning if they do not use Te Kura Kaupapa o Otepoti, they may lose it.
In a recent letter to the kura's board of trustees, the ministry said the costs of relocating the kura to the former High Street School site were difficult to justify because its roll had declined to seven pupils in the past five years, and its ongoing viability was in question.
"As it is the only Maori immersion primary school in the Dunedin area, we are willing to support you with any plans you have to attract more students and grow the roll.
"However, if demand remains limited, we will have to review the provision of Maori immersion education in the area.
"Maori students achieving education success as Maori is a key Government priority.
"A wider consultation of how immersion or bilingual education is provided for Maori students in Dunedin may be necessary to encourage a greater participation rate of students engaged in Maori language education."
While relocating to the High St site might help the kura to grow, the school was previously able to attract a roll of greater than 35 pupils on its present site at Sunnyvale, the ministry said.
"If you are able to grow to this size again, the ministry will work with you on alternative accommodation options."
Board of trustees chairwoman Nicky Frederics declined to comment, and principal Amiria Stirling was unavailable for comment.
However, earlier this week, Miss Stirling said the situation highlighted the effect the wider Maori community was having on the kura.
"The Maori community is not as strong or vibrant as we would like."
She said the board of trustees was now putting all its focus on building the school's roll, and several issues, including transportation difficulties for pupils, had been identified.
Realistically, it could take two to three years to increase the roll back to 35 pupils, she said.
Ministry of Education southern regional manager Ray Webb said the ministry would meet the board to look at ways in which the ministry could help the kura become viable.
While the ministry would continue to monitor the roll of the kura, no time frame had been discussed with regard to how long the school would be given to increase its roll, he said.
