Addendum to the Te Aho o Te Kura (Te Kura) Enrolment and Dual-Tuition Policy

Pursuant to section 68 of the Education and Training Act 2020, and acting under the delegated authority of the Minister of Education, I hereby fix the following additional enrolment criteria for Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu.

These criteria come into effect on 31 March 2022.

Introduction

This document sets out the criteria for additional government-funded dual-tuition access at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu in order to provide education to students when they, or someone in their household have an underlying medical condition or weakened immune system that puts them at higher risk of severe consequences from COVID-19.

Eligibility for Government-funded Dual-tuition Under the “Severe Risk: COVID-19” Gateway

Year 1-15 Students
Education Type	Registration	Entry Criteria	Subject Limit	Funding
	Gateway
All	Severe Risk: COVID-19	This gateway is for students who have a medical certificate from a specialist medical practitioner certifying that they cannot attend school because they: have an underlying medical condition or a weakened immune system (as detailed by the Ministry of Health’s guidance on people with medical conditions and compromised immunity¹) that puts them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and the risk of exposure to COVID-19 cannot be managed on a school site or; live with someone that has an underlying medical condition or weakened immune system (as detailed by the Ministry of Health’s guidance¹ on people with medical conditions and compromised immunity) that puts them at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and the risk of exposure to COVID-19 cannot be managed on a school site. The enrolling school principal may make a request for the student to receive Te Kura dual tuition for all or part of their learning programme to maintain continuity of their learning programme. The Ministry of Education is the referral agency and all referrals at its discretion must be signed off by a Ministry manager. The Ministry referral letter must: clearly state the educationally appropriate off-site supervision arrangements for the student’s study with Te Kura; provide an educational profile (where available), and the name of the enrolling school; Description of the risk to the student or household member that could not be appropriately managed by enrolling school based on the specialist medical practitioner’s assessment confirm how a pastoral care and/or learning support relationship with the student’s enrolling school will be maintained while the student is studying with Te Kura; and set a review period for ascertaining whether a return to on-site learning is possible. Caregivers must at the time of referral, and at appropriate review periods, provide a medical certiﬁcate from a specialist medical practitioner certifying that due to an underlying medical condition or weakened immune system attending school would put the student or student’s household member at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to appropriate management options being unavailable. This gateway is available for Terms 1–4 2022 only and has a limit of 1000 students	None	Government funded

Dated this 4th day of March 2022.

IONA HOLSTED, Te Tumu Whakarae mō te Mātauranga, Secretary for Education.

1 https://www.health.govt.nz/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-information-specific-audiences/covid-19-higher-risk-people