Academic to share her work in promoting equality for all

Academic to share her work in promoting equality for all

Professor Cindy Kiro has spent decades improving the academic and social outcomes of young people. Now she will share these experiences in her inaugural lecture at the University of Auckland next month.

Professor Kiro (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine) was New Zealand’s first woman and Māori Children's Commissioner. She is now director of the university’s Starpath Project and also ‘Te Tumu’ – responsible for Māori/indigenous education at the university’s Faculty of Education and Social Work. The Starpath Project has sought to improve the educational aspirations and achievements of secondary students from high poverty communities in Auckland and Northland over the past 10 years.

Her lecture will identify the elements of the Starpath approach and examine any differences that have been made and how we might learn to address the broader issues associated with equity and excellence in education for all.

“Students from low decile schools are more likely to leave school with no formal qualifications and are under-represented in tertiary level education programmes,” Professor Kiro says.

“This reinforces disparities in educational achievement within schools and between high and low decile schools and poses high risks to our nation’s prosperity and social cohesion. We need effective vocational pathways and successful school-tertiary transitions for all our children.”

The Starpath project has worked effectively with 39 secondary schools across the Auckland and Northland area to identify and address barriers that prevent these students’ educational success.

The project has made a measureable difference in the educational achievements of
many Māori and Pacific Island students and others from low decile secondary schools through an intensive whole of school approach.

But there is still much work to be done. The issues of educational inequality were highlighted in a recent OECD report that acknowledges New Zealand’s education success, but highlights the need to address educational inequality.

The report confirmed that while educational attainment has been rising for all groups, rates remain considerably lower for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and/or of Māori or Pacifica ethnicity.

“Every child deserves access to a quality education so they can have the best start in life. It benefits not only the children we help, but society as well. There is so much that we can learn from looking across health and welfare to education and beyond. Strong Māori and Pāsifika idenities also have a critical role to play in shaping better educational and health outcomes for children who are catching-up academically.”

Professor Kiro's inaugural lecture is on Thursday 10 September in the Neon foyer, Faculty of Engineering, City Campus, 20 Symonds St. Drinks and reception start at 6pm, and the lecture at 7pm.

ENDS

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