Secondary school start stalls for under-age boy

A Hamilton father is outraged Hillcrest High School wants to cancel his son's enrolment after previously accepting him.

Keshav Mahindra is 12 years old and last year attended Berkley Normal School as a year 7 pupil. He will not turn 13 until October.

The Education Act states that a student can only progress on to secondary education if they are 13 years of age at the time or if it can be proven that the student has been prepared for it using the year 8 curriculum.

However, because Keshav's father Umang Mahindra believed his son was a bright student and would be better served attending a secondary school, he enrolled him at Hillcrest High School.

The school accepted the boy as a student in December but this month withdrew their acceptance after realising Keshav had not completed year 8.

Dr Mahindra said he was disappointed but was waiting for a formal letter stating that the enrolment had been cancelled.

"I am concerned because the issue as I understand it is that they are trying to deny a New Zealand citizen the right to education. I am still waiting for the letter. I sent my boy to school because I did not know what to do with him."

Hillcrest High School Kelvin Whiting said the application was received late last year and they had assumed it was a typical enrolment. "At the time we had no idea that it would mean that he would be skipping year 8 so when we found that out we realised that he wouldn't be able to come to Hillcrest."

Mr Whiting said Keshav had been attending Hillcrest High School since Tuesday but advice on the situation had been sought from the board of trustees.

Berkley Normal School principal John Crone said Keshav was a "good student" but would not comment on whether the boy was ready for secondary education.

- © Fairfax NZ News