After being condemned for over 20 years, St Stephen’s School/Te Kura o Tīpene in Auckland is set to reopen and bring in new students in 2025.

The Māori boarding school for boys opened in 1848 but was closed in 2000, by the Education Minister at the time Trevor Mallard, after bullying allegations.

Leading the revival of the school is past pupil Nathan Durie and his wife Yvette McCausland-Durie. The pair were welcomed on-site last week in preparation for the big return, One News reported.

The pōwhiri included prominent Māori leaders Joe Harawira, Te Ururoa Flavell, Waihoroi Shortland, and Selwyn Parata along with politicians Tama Potaka, John Tamihere and Shane Jones, which Durie said made the importance to the community clear.

The husband and wife helped found the Palmerston North special character school in 2005, then known as Tu Toa, to give Māori students a system to succeed in – they now plan to do the same for Te Kura o Tīpene.

McCausland-Durie said they’re “really passionate about education and we’ve used sport as a catalyst along with culture to drive outcomes”.

She noted there would be similar aspects but is “very aware that this is a different cohort.”

“Māori boys are a special group and they need different aspects and different ways of working with them, so we’re looking forward to that challenge. We don’t have all the answers, but we’re prepared to work hard.

“Different opportunity students don’t want to be studying all day so certainly sport, culture, the ability to really embrace the opportunities that Auckland has – there’s a number of opportunities,” she said.

From a former student’s perspective, Durie claimed that the school instilled in him a confidence and sense of competence that was not commonly taught back then.

“This was a place that enabled us to be Māori, enabled us to celebrate being Māori, more importantly, and for those of us who are a little bit older than others, it was at a time when those things were often pushed to the side.

“So Tīpene enabled that opportunity for young people like myself and many, many others that have come here,” he said.

The school is located in Bombay and the pair are planning to increase opportunities for students and to construct more buildings and classrooms.

“Just being here on the farm, around industry, the ability to get them out to engage in a new community, but also, that opportunity to take them back and to really get across the country and continue to make sure that their skills are relevant going forward, and as graduates, they’re really confident as Māori, and competent in whatever the venture is that they want to get into,” McCausland-Durie said.

With a cap of 20–30 males for each cohort, the school is now taking expressions of interest for Year 9 and 10 student enrolments starting in 2025.