Source: Radio New Zealand
One of the campsites used by Tom Phillips while he was a fugitive. RNZ / Supplied / Police
The Education Ministry says it granted deceased fugitive Tom Phillips the right to home-school his children before he disappeared with them in late 2021.
Phillips died in a shootout with police in September after taking his children on the run for nearly four years.
Information provided under the Official Information Act after the New Zealand Herald complained to the Ombudsman, said the ministry approved Phillips’ home-schooling application before July 2021.
“All three of the children had valid certificates of exemption for home education,” it said.
“The home education applications followed the ministry’s standard assessment process. The certificates were applied for by their legal guardian Tom Phillips and were awarded prior to July 2021.”
The ministry said education officials did not visit the family.
“In New Zealand, parents who wish to home educate must first obtain a Ministry of Education exemption by demonstrating in advance that their child will be taught “at least as regularly and as well” as in a registered school, including providing a detailed teaching plan,” it said.
“However, the home education framework does not include routine in-home visits, with follow-up generally limited to situations where concerns are raised. In this case, no concerns were raised. “
The ministry initially refused the NZ Herald’s request last year for information about the Phillips’ children’s home-schooling application and school attendance on privacy grounds.
“In this case the information relates to children whose privacy interests are significant, and any disclosure would represent an unreasonable intrusion into their private lives,” it said.
However, it provided some of the requested information earlier this week after an Ombudsman’s investigation.
“While the Ombudsman agreed that section 9(2)(a) of the Act was properly relied on, the Ombudsman has formed the final opinion that public interest considerations favour release of this information,” the ministry said.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand