Mäori leaders to visit The Correspondence School

Mäori leaders to visit The Correspondence School

The Correspondence School takes Mäori education very seriously. A number of high profile Mäori leaders will address staff at a runanga on Thursday 5 December in the school’s national base in Wellington.

The runanga is part of the school’s Maori Partnership programme and guests include: Tumu Te Heuheu, the upoko ariki paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa; Timi Te Heuheu; Mahlon Nepia; Archie Taiaroa from the Mäori Fisheries Commission Sir Tipene O’Regan, leader of Ngai Tahu and former educationalist.

Since 2000 Tumu Te Heuheu and his people have hosted the Hui Taumata conference on Maori education at Taupo. The Hui Taumata has drawn many people together to look at the progress and development of Mäori in present day society. This rununga gives the opportunity to discuss the results of the conference - Hui Taumata - and to talk about other issues relating to Mäori education.

“We are delighted to receive such honored guests,” says The Correspondence School’s Senior Mäori Advisor, John Clarke. “We are New Zealand’s biggest, and only, national school. Currently we have more than 20,000 students on our roll. It is therefore a great opportunity for us that these important visitors have agreed to visit The Correspondence School.”

“The Correspondence School has the largest number of Mäori students in the country so it is important for staff to understand and learn about how to best meet Mäori students’ educational and cultural needs.”

In July this year, we launched our Mäori Partnership programme which included setting up a series of runanga to provide staff with information and awareness of current issues, concerns and aspirations of te iwi Mäori. They also give staff a greater understanding and practical experience of te reo and tikanga Mäori.”

This visit is the second of a series of runanga (seminars). The Mäori Queen Dame Te Atairangi Kahu (patron of Te Kohanga Reo National Trust), Professor Timoti Karetu (Chairman), Iritana Tawhiwhirangi (Chief Executive) and others from the Kohanga Reo National Trust Board visited the school for the first runanga in August this year.

The runganga is to be held between 12 noon and 2.30pm on Thursday 5 December at The Correspondence School, 11 Portland Crescent, Thorndon, Wellington.

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