Source: Radio New Zealand
A kura kaupapa Māori in Te Tairāwhiti is calling for urgent safety improvements outside its school, saying students, whānau and kaiako are being put at risk crossing a “hectic” and “unsafe” road every day.
Tauira from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri o Māui say traffic outside the kura has become increasingly dangerous during peak drop-off and pick-up times, with “near misses daily.”
Student board representative Malea Procter told RNZ the kura decided to speak out after repeated requests for a safe crossing failed to gain traction.
She said tauira regularly witness dangerous situations while crossing the road.
“Sometimes we see our teachers standing in the middle of the road trying to slow the cars down,” she said.
“It’s almost a 50-50 chance that cars will slow down for us.
“It’s hectic, very unsafe. Even for our kaumātua and our parents walking our kids back to their cars- into the school too, its really unsafe.”
She said many drivers did not slow down, even though the road runs directly past the kura.
“Us kids get hōhā with the cars just going way too fast,” she said.
“There’s a school here. There are tamariki here. But it’s almost become normal that we just get annoyed about it.”
Procter said tauira had witnessed numerous near misses.
“Maha – with whānau, with tamariki,” she said.
“We’ve seen many unsafe situations.”
Tumuaki (principal) Jodi Smith said safety concerns at the kura were not new.
Tumaki and tauira from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri o Māui tauira say traffic outside their kura has become increasingly dangerous during peak drop-off and pick-up times, with “near misses daily.” Supplied / Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui
“In the past we’ve actually had tamariki hit by cars while crossing that road,” she told RNZ.
“That’s when teachers first started to stand in the middle of the road to slow traffic down.”
She said the kura was determined to prevent another accident from happening.
“It’s not about when for us, because as I said, it’s already happened. But it’s about trying to prevent it happening again.”
Smith said traffic volumes were particularly heavy during peak school hours, partly because the kura sits close to other schools in the area.
“We have large trucks coming down that road, and because we’re close to other kura, the traffic volume becomes really high at those peak times.”
The kura serves 240 students from years 1 to 15, with many whānau travelling to the school each day.
“Our kura is growing,” she said.
“And with our Māori tamariki come their grandparents, parents and whānau of all ages who come to pick them up.
“So it’s not just about our students – it’s about keeping our whole whānau safe.”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui student Malea, 15, and father Raniera Procter pictured beside a raised entry and exit foundation, where they want a pedestrian crossing installed. LDR / Zita Campbell
Procter alongside her father Rāniera Procter, chair of the school board, recently posted a video on social media highlighting the risks students face crossing the road.
The response from the community had been overwhelmingly supportive, Procter said.
“People understand that our main goal is haumaru (safety) for our tamariki and our whānau.”
Smith said the kura, along with whānau, had contacted the council to begin discussions about installing a crossing but had repeatedly been told funding was unavailable.
“At this stage myself and parents have contacted the council to try and start the process,” she said.
“All the replies have come back saying there is no funding.”
Despite this, she said the kura remained open to working collaboratively on a solution.
“We’re even just asking for a sit-down hui,” she said.
“As Māori, he iwi kōrero tātou – we believe in sitting down together and talking things through.
“Our kura would be willing to contribute if that’s what it takes. We just want to work out a plan together.”
RNZ/ Nick Monro
‘We don’t want to wait any longer’
The kura would ideally like to see a marked pedestrian crossing installed outside the school.
“But we would honestly take anything that helps keep our tamariki safe,” Smith said.
“If that means barrier arms or another safety measure, that would still be better than what we have now.
“Something that means our teachers don’t have to walk into the middle of the road to stop traffic.”
Procter said the call for a crossing was not about criticising council spending, but about ensuring the safety of the community.
“Our main goal is haumaru mō ngā tamariki me ngā whānau,” she said.
“We’ve reached the point where we’re done waiting.
“We don’t want to wait until something bad happens again.”
Smith echoed that kōrero, saying the kura did not want another accident to be the catalyst for change.
“We don’t want another incident before something is done…That could be a catastrophe for one of our whānau,” she said.
“And we’re not willing to wait until that happens.”
Ensuring that students and whānau can cross the road safely every day is their top priority.
“Our main goal is haumaru mō ngā tamariki, mō ngā whānau. And I feel council have heard that,” she said.
“We’ve come to a point that we’re done waiting, and we don’t want to wait any longer.”
RNZ/ Nick Monro
Council response
A spokesperson for Gisborne District Council said the council had received five requests for a pedestrian crossing outside Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui, but funding constraints meant the project could not proceed at this time.
Journey infrastructure manager Dave Hadfield had previously assessed school safety needs across the district.
“In 2018 council carried out a district-wide survey of schools for safety measures,” Hadfield said.
“Schools were prioritised based on criteria including the size of the school, posted speed limit, traffic volumes and the surrounding environment.”
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui would ideally like to see a marked pedestrian crossing installed outside the school. Supplied / Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui
Hadfield said council had undertaken planning work in 2022 and developed recommended safety improvements for the site, including parking changes, a crossing and new footpaths.
However, he said those plans were put on hold after Cyclone Gabrielle shifted regional transport priorities.
“Regional transport funding is now focused on cyclone recovery and maintaining and renewing the existing road network,”
He added that keeping children safe around schools was a shared responsibility.
“Council works to support safe road environments around schools through road design, traffic management and education,” Hadfield said.
“Keeping tamariki safe around school gates is a shared responsibility between schools, the Ministry of Education, police, parents, caregivers, drivers and the wider community.”
“As a result, council is not currently in a position to commit funding toward new crossing infrastructure at this location.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
