Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

28 November 2013

More than $31 million for Building on Success

Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Government will spend more than $31 million over the next three years to accelerate Māori secondary school student achievement, under the new Building on Success programme.

Speaking at the Iwi Chairs Forum in Gisborne, Ms Parata said Building on Success would extend the great progress made through the current Māori achievement programmes, including Te Kotahitanga, He Kākano and Starpath.

“Building on Success combines the best from Te Kotahitanga and He Kākano, as well other initiatives such as Starpath, and secondary literacy and numeracy programmes, to deliver a more integrated package in schools of culturally responsive leadership, teaching and learning practices, than has been done before,” Ms Parata says.

“Distilling these programmes into a comprehensive package and extending their benefits to more schools is expected to significantly raise achievement for young Māori.”

The programme will support school leaders and teachers to develop professional leadership and schooling practices, and to deliver the curriculum effectively, to increase educational success for Māori. Approximately a quarter of all secondary schools will be in the programme at any one time.

“In 2012, almost 61 per cent of Māori 18 year olds gained an NCEA Level 2 or equivalent qualification – up almost 4 per cent on 2011. However, the Government has a Better Public Services target of 85 per cent of 18 year olds having an NCEA Level 2 or better qualification.

“We have made great progress in raising achievement for all our young people, but it is clear that the education system is not serving all of them as well as it must. We are committed to focusing our resources on the areas of greatest need, and with better data, we can. Building on Success is part of that commitment.”

Ms Parata also announced that the providers, the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland, and Te Wānanga o te Awanuiārangi, would work together to deliver the Building on Success programme nationally. In Whanganui, Te Puna Mātauranga o Whanganui and Cognition Education will deliver a local Building on Success programme in partnership with Whanganui iwi.

The Building on Success partners include the project leaders of Te Kotahitanga, He Kākano and Starpath programmes, and Cognition Education.

ENDS

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