Military touch due at Makoura | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Makoura College is one of eight schools in New Zealand that will open a military Service Academy next year.

College principal Tom Hullena, who served two of four years in the New Zealand Army as an educator, said the Makoura Service Academy would offer military programmes for two days of each school week and could welcome pupils from other schools if seats were available.

"It's not for everyone but it will provide another avenue for those who find it hard being anchored to a desk for five hours every day," he said, adding candidates to head the Service Academy included deputy principal Kellas Bennett, who has also served in the New Zealand Army.

As well, a UCOL Trades Academy will open next year at the school that will also figure in a $2.7million revamp of the college set to begin at Christmas. Mr Hullena said the Service Academy would be incorporated in the revamp and inspiration for the operation of the military syllabus would be scouted from existing programmes across the country. He would meet ministry staff this week for preliminary talks about the Service Academy.

Education Minister Anne Tolley said other schools set to open service academies were spread from Auckland to Invercargill. She said $63.1million had been set aside to fund the expansion of service and trades academies nationwide.

The military-focused academies, to be operated in association with the New Zealand Defence Force, would offer courses such as leadership and outdoor education, while pupils worked towards achieving at least NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy.

"We know that service academies are already making a real difference for 16 and 17-year-olds who were at risk of dropping out of education," said Mrs Tolley. "A recent Education Review Office evaluation found that service academies improve student engagement, behaviour, academic achievement, and health and fitness ..."

Twenty-four academies would offer 500 places nationwide from next year.