27 November 2013

MIT hosts Pacific People’s Symposium

Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) will host the second Pacific Peoples’ Symposium on Friday 29 November 2013.

The Symposium is a joint initiative between MIT and the University of Waikato’s National Centre of Numeracy and Literacy for Adults.

Toeolesulusulu Damon Salesa is this year’s keynote speaker. Associate Professor of Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, Toeolesulusulu Salesa is the first person of Pacific Island heritage to receive a Rhodes scholarship.

This year, the Symposium is themed around maximising change for Pacific people through literacy, numeracy and language.

“The Pacific community is very concerned that its young people do well and succeed economically. They understand education is the key to change, and can unlock the door to individual and community success,” says Ana Wightman, 2013 Pacific Peoples’ Symposium coordinator and Employment Programmes Lecturer, MIT.

The Pacific People’s Symposium is a professional dialogue event where participants actively participate in presentations, workshops and discussions.

Symposium workshops will focus on strategies for supporting Pacific migrant workers in literacy, numeracy and financial numeracy, approaches for engaging Pacific learners and examine how Pacific peoples have enriched New Zealand’s cultural and social capital.

The Tertiary Education Commission will share its 2013 -2016 Pacific Island Framework with attendees, and provide an update around strategy and implementation.

“This symposium brings together tertiary educators working with Pacific lsland learners to share best practise. This year’s programme is rich, varied and exciting and will support attendees in extending their praxis and professional networks, ” says Ms Wightman.
ends

© Scoop Media