Pearl Valor recalls her time in Gloriavale Christian School when students used to "put on a good show" for ERO officers. Photo: Jean Edwards
A former Gloriavale student is angry about the education she missed out on at school in the secretive South Island community, where she says girls are told their future is cooking and sewing.
A recent ERO report of Gloriavale Christian School found 20 percent of students have been absent from class, and boys and girls were given a different quality of education.
Pearl Valor left Gloriavale two years ago and was part of a successful Employment Court case fighting to be recognised as and employee rather than a volunteer for her long, arduous hours of work at the community.
She described schooling that was nonexistent and was surprised authorities did not notice the problems earlier.
"I wouldn't call it education, it was just supervision," she said, calling it a "patriarchy".
"Our lives were mapped out for us already. We were going to be mums and we needed to learn sewing skills and cooking skills.
"I don't think we were encouraged to think for ourselves. In fact, we were actively taught not to."
She said she was a good runner in school but was got in trouble "for being so fast".
"I got told I was proud and arrogant, and I needed to go to the back and help the people at the back."
Asked if she felt safe at school, she said: "Not at all".
She said sometimes a teacher could be a next-door neighbour. "It's not like across the street or down the road. It's like through the wall. So, they can have influence ... in your life. You're traumatised by these people in your home, and then they're supposed to be teaching you. So you're not really going to learn if you're in a traumatized state."
Valor was shocked the school failed the latest ERO report because she thought the schooling had improved since she attended
She said there were months of planning and preparing for when education officers would visit to review the school.
"We'd know at least six months before and we'd be preparing speeches, plays, we'd definitely do a big school clean up and pull out all the resources they had, and put on a good show, I guess."
Valor left school at 15 without passing NCEA; she did a hospitality course but was not told of opportunities at university.
"I feel like we've been failed."
'We are concerned' - Chief Children's Commissioner
Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Photo: Supplied
Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad told Checkpoint schooling at Gloriavale must improve.
She also said there were health and welfare concerns.
"We are concerned about this ERO report.
"It's really concerning to me to see in the ERO report the differential experience that girls and boys seem to be having in this school and in this community."
Achmad said Valor getting in trouble for being a good runner raised questions about child rights, discrimination and the right to an education.
"Under our Education and Training Act, it's very clear that every child should have the highest possible standard of educational achievement, and part of that is that their school should be a physically and emotionally safe place for them to learn."
Achmad said her office would be monitoring ERO to make sure it followed up on its recommendations to improve education at Gloriavale.
"I would expect to see Gloriavale attending to these recommendations as soon and as robustly as possible within the coming months."
