Maori student programme rolled out

Media Release
May 28, 2009

Maori student programme rolled out

A groundbreaking approach to Maori learning will be rolled out to more New Zealand secondary schools, the Government has announced.

Waikato University’s Te Kotahitanga programme is funded by the Ministry of Education to improve the educational achievement of Maori students in mainstream secondary schools. It began in 2001 and has developed through a series of phases to now where there are 33 schools in the northern half of the North Island involved in the programme.

Fifteen other secondary schools will now join the ranks in an $11 million rollout over four years, announced in the Budget.

Te Kotahitanga (which means unity of purpose) promotes the understanding that Maori students learn better when they have better caring and learning relationships with their teachers. The programme supports professional development for in-school facilitators who then act as coaches to work with other teachers. They’re changing how teachers teach (by getting students more involved) and changing the belief that students’ circumstances limit their achievements at school.

Russell Bishop, Professor of Maori Education at Waikato University says the schools already involved report improvements in measurable factors such as pass rates for NCEA, student retention, attendance and positive student schooling experiences. And it’s not only Maori students doing well – evaluation of the programme in the original 33 schools shows Pacific Island students and special needs students also relate well to the new approach, he says.

Prof Bishop says there is a direct relationship between educational levels and health, wealth and job opportunities, and he praised the Government for following through on election promises and committing funds to the project. “The Waikato University project is part of a broader front of development for Maori, and it’s pleasing to see the new Government has recognised the benefits of this programme to Maori students and the wider society.”

Teachers can have little influence on a Maori student’s home situation, but they can do something with the hours they spend with them, Prof Bishop says. “Supporting teachers to become effective teachers of Maori students is the best value for education dollars.”

Fifteen new secondary schools will be chosen to join the programme in the coming weeks and months. The team will start working with those new schools as soon as possible, aiming for in-school implementation at the start of 2010.

Waikato University’s team members who train the coaches have long teaching histories, Prof Bishop says. “There are no costs other than the coaches – we don’t need software, we don’t need buildings, we just need good teachers who can coach others.”

The Budget also announced $8.9 million for professional development programmes for 100 principals that focus on raising Maori students’ achievement. The Ministry of Education has yet to decide on a provider for this.

ENDS

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