A Christchurch education centre has shut down after a four-year-old went missing during an education trip, which was later found to not have a licence to operate.
The NZ Herald reports a four-year-old went missing while at Margaret Mahy Family Playground for about 35-minutes on September 1, while on a trip with the centre that teaches students French once a week.
The child who attended Alliance Française de Christchurch's former La Petite Ecole programme, was found by a member of the public while trying to cross Kilmore St, just 200 metres away from the park.
South Island leader for the Ministry of Education Nancy Bell said in a statement to Newshub La Petite Ecole was without a license - a requirement under the Education and Training Act 2020.
"When this was bought to their attention they made the decision to immediately cease operating."
Bell told the Herald the education centre is looking at modifying its service provision to operate within the Act or becoming a licenced service.
The child's mother Sandrine Sunley told NZ Herald she's distraught over the handling of the situation - and immediately pulled her daughter out from the programme.
She told the Herald the organisation's response to the situation was appalling, her daughter went missing at 11am but Sunley wasn't told until 1pm later that afternoon.
"That made me really angry because she managed to cross all those streets, walk all the way to Kilmore Street…thank god she was found by someone really nice."
Alliance Française de Christchurch has since expressed its devastation and apologised for the events involving Sunley's daughter.
A spokesperson told NZ Herald they have treated the incident very seriously and are grateful to the bystander who found Sunley's daughter.
They add a full investigation has since been conducted - with a full report being sent to all parents with children attending the former programme.
