Te Kāhui Maru Trust gratefully acknowledges a grant from the Toikuranui Fund from Te Tāhūhū o te Mātauranga in the research and compilation of this strategy document.
Te Kāhui Maru Trust and Te Heru Māpara acknowledges the support of all schools in the rohe of Ngāti Maru, our uri, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, the TOI Foundation, the Tertiary Education Commission, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Waka Kotahi: The New Zealand Transport Agency and others. We acknowledge all our supporters, valued stakeholders large and small, our many allies and thank them for their ability to āwhi and tautoko our moemoeā me wawatā (dreams and aspirations).
Te Kāhui Maru Trust recognises four main contributors to this strategy. Firstly, the uri of Maruwharanui who shared their kōrero so generously at a wānanga in Waitara in mid 2023 and online. Secondly, to Jason Galu who tirelessly gathered an array of informaton and ‘primary data’ was the ‘kanohi kitea’ of the first phase. He was ably supported by our Kaiwhakarite Hononga Rautaki, Trevor Landers. Finally, to Haki Keogh, Tumu Whakawhanake Mātauranga for his amplification of the Maru Ora Approach in a tertiary education and employment context, he is the architect of this approach and the Maru Hikuroa functionalities. The continued community support of our kaupapa is deeply appreciated. We also thank our Tumu Ahurea; Tamzyn Pue and Rumatiki Timu, as well as Aroha Broughton Pue. Their deft touches, guidance and telling contributions have greatly improved this document.
Te Kāhui Maru Trust PO Box 202 Inglewood 4347
Freephone: O800 MARU ORA www.maru.nz
Te Heru Māpara PO Box 191 Stratford 4352
Freephone: 0800 505 479 www.teherumapara.ac.nz
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the publisher, Te Kāhui Maru Trust, prior written consent. This strategy is made available on the condition that it will not, by means of trade, or otherwise, be sold, re-sold, hired or otherwise circulated with the express written consent of Te Kāhui Maru Trust. It can be downloaded, gifted, borrowed and shared. Te Kāhui Maru Trust asserts our rights as the holders of intellectual and cultural rights to preserve these on behalf of our learners, kaimahi and the uri of Ngāti Maru.
ISBN: 978-1-0670405-0-5
Tihe i a Maru Ora: Te Rautaki Mātauranga o Ngāti Maru
Me pēhea te āhua o te āko mō te uri o Ngāti Maru, te iwi o Maruwharanui
What should teaching and learning look
He aha ngā whāinga o mātauranga mō Ngāti Maru, te iwi o Maruwharanui? What are goals of
for Ngāti Maru iwi?
Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
The forest belongs to the bird who consumes the miro berry, the world belongs to the bird who consumes education.
Te Kere Ngataierua – Ngāti Maru
Our uri deserve an education that is relevant and responsive to their needs. By determining our own pathways, we can ensure that the programmes we develop are aligned with our cultural identity and priorities.
Kupu takamua
Foreword from the Chair
Tuatahi, ka tangi te ngākau ki a rātou ngā kura whakaingoingo ngā ringa hāpai o te iwi kei te rārangi matua i te pō, haere, haere, okioki mai rā hoki mai anō ki a tātou ngā mahuetanga mai a rātou mā tēnā anō hoki tātou.
Education is about challenging ourselves beyond our limits, pushing beyond our boundaries, discovering new knowledge, and using this to help others. To step beyond our comfort zone, we must be willing to take calculated risks with support beside us. We need a bold vision, courage and determination in seeking our objective. This strategy, Tihe i a Maru Ora will help guide Te Kāhui Maru Trust and our uri towards much brighter futures.
During the consultative phase we learnt that 27% of Ngāti Maru uri have participated in higher education, one of the highest proportions in Taranaki. Clearly, like our tūpuna we value the fruits that education brings. The benefits of education and well-paid employment are well known and many. I commend this strategy to you because it offers a clear pathway to tino rangatiratanga for the uri of Ngāti Maru. The name recalls the first sneeze of life, the very essence of Maru ora.
Whaia i tō mounga teitei e uri rā!
Nā te aroha
Sam Tamarapa Chair
Te Kāhui Maru Trust
“During the consultative phase we learnt that 27% of Ngāti Maru uri have participated in higher education, one of the highest proportions in Taranaki.”
Putting our rangatahi at the heart of our initiatives creates a space where every learner feels valued and inspired to pursue their passions.
Kōrero o te Tumu Whakarae
From the Chief Executive
Tū whakatipua,Tū whakatawhito, Tū whakamanea, Tū whakararau. Ki te ao ahurei, ki te ao tahia o Rangi, ki te ao tahia o Papa, Hui e! Tāiki e!
In 2015, Ngāti Maru held its first aspirations hui. Education and employment emerged as two of the most highly ranked uri priorities.
We asked the question: would Maru be a recipient of education and employment programmes devised by others, according to their ideas and rules – or would we steer our own waka toward quality outcomes for uri, iwi and Māori?
Loud and clear came the unwavering response: we would forge our own path, determined to put rangatahi and all our learners at the apex of their education and journey to employment.
By asserting our autonomy, we can ensure that the programmes we develop are aligned with who we are and what we need.
Never again will we be a disaffected party, standing on the sidelines. Never again falling behind. We will not be passive participants waiting for others to dictate our future. Instead, we are taking the lead, consulting with our communities, and crafting solutions that reflect our values and aspirations.
In December 2021, Te Kāhui Maru Trust purchased the private training enterprise Feats – a strategic acquisition and our first step toward targeted training and education that meets the needs of our people.
Re-launched in September 2023 as Te Heru Māpara – the comb made of heartwood, the comb that empowers the people – we now look to the transformational journey that quality education can provide.
“By asserting our autonomy, we can ensure that the programmes we develop are aligned with who we are and what we need.”
Kōrero o te Tumu Whakarae
Our rangatahi will be graduates of a uniquely Maru higher education. They will go out into the world ready to stand up and stand out, grounded and supported by the knowledge, values and beliefs of their tūpuna.
When we look 50 years into the future, we see Maru graduates who speak their own language, who observe the tikanga handed down to them, who are proud of their intellectual independence and who celebrate their Marutanga.
We see highly educated, vibrant young people – Ngāti Maru men and women at the forefront of industry, business and education and in leadership positions across our nation, contributing to positive economic, social, political, cultural and environmental outcomes for Maru and Aotearoa.
It is both an honour and a privilege to launch this education strategy. With this strategy, we take a bold step forward – a step that honours our past, enriches our present, and inspires our future.
This strategy is a roadmap that will guide Te Kāhui Maru Trust and Te Heru Māpara in developing and brokering educational and employment advancement. It captures the whakaaro and wawatā of our uri and distills them into a plan for action. It embodies the determination to define our own pathway – one that align with our values, aspirations and identity.
In short, our strategy flips a model that has failed to serve us well. It works to build a system of education that nurtures our young people, supports our whānau, and strengthens our iwi.
Our strategy is rooted in the belief that education should be a pathway, not a barrier; a source of empowerment that inspires learners to reach their fullest potential.
Our strategy is targeted, focusing on the specific needs of those who have been underserved, their potential untapped.
Our aim is to cultivate not only academic success but also life skills that enable our learners to contribute to their communities; that equip them with the tools required to prosper in a world that needs their unique contributions.
At the core of our strategy is the understanding that education must be relevant to our people.
We envision a learning landscape where rangatahi can explore their interests in a supportive and engaging setting, whether that is through vocational training, apprenticeships or community-based programmes.
In this way, we will ignite a passion for lifelong learning that extends well beyond the classroom and ensures that our uri are equipped not just for the challenges of today, but for the opportunities of tomorrow.
Our approach is rooted in whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga. In short, collective responsibility.
Our role is to lay the foundation for the next generations, to ignite the fire in their bellies, to enable them to reach their potential and take their place in the future direction of Ngāti Maru and Aotearoa.
We are here to create pathways that our rangatahi can walk with pride, knowing they are supported by a system designed specifically for them.
Through this strategy, we will set the agenda, making decisions that are informed by our experiences, our stories, and our vision for the future.
Tihe i a Maru Ora is a living document. It was created by Ngāti Maru uri, for the benefit of Ngāti Maru uri. It is the whao, or chisel which will shape the operations of our private training establishment Te Heru Māpara into the future. It is also a resource for iwi education aspirations across Taranaki.
Haere i muri i ō moemoeā! Kia maia! Kia matāra! Tihe i a Maru Ora!
Anaru Marshall
Tumu Whakarae
Te Kāhui Maru Trust
“It captures the whakaaro and wawatā of our uri and distills them into a plan for action. It embodies the determination to define our own pathways – ones that align with our values, aspirations and identity.”
We will create pathways that our uri can walk with pride, knowing they are supported by a system designed specifically for them.
Whakarāpopoto mātua
Executive Summary
E kōrihi ana te manu takiri mai te ata.
He hae i te pō, he karanga ki te ao.
He karanga ia i te kohu o te ata.
Kia piki atu ia ki te kawau o te rangi.
Ko au e Maru, e kore te kawau e hiki i tōna tumu tū.
Tihei Mauri Ora.
The history of our people is embodied with examples of selfless leadership, resilience, responsiveness, and strategic nous. Examples include Te Kerikeringa, providing refuge, and remaining on ever decreasing land blocks. These qualities are inherent within Ngāti Maru. Drawing on the strength of our whakapapa, the strategy is a living document that will inform our actions and interventions in education during the next ten years.
This strategy is evidence of the Maru Ora Pou, Maru Tiketike: a self-determining iwi leading a vision for a better future, confidently and with assurance. The challenges of generations who had limited access and agency is acknowledged as we move into the future with greater confidence. We know that education unlocks the door to prosperity for our whānau, hapū and iwi, and is a strong lever for developing resilience in challenging times. Tihe i a Maru Ora rests on these foundation stones:
· Our learners must be at the centre of all we do, and are resourced and supported to succeed.
· Education for Ngāti Maru, should include and reflect the tikanga and mātauranga of Ngāti Maru, and allow greater opportunities for delivery.
“The history of our people is embodied with examples of selfless leadership, resilience, responsiveness, and strategic nous.”
· We work collaboratively, leveraging strategic partnerships, whakapapa connections and kaupapa Maru to bring the most benefit to Ngāti Maru, te iwi o Maruwharanui.
· Education is a key pillar of our strength, prosperity, wellbeing and reinforcing our Ngāti Marutanga.
· Our practices are underpinned by the Maru Ora framework and the Maru Hikuroa team who will play a distinctive role in supporting learner excellence and their learner journey. This process will be mana-enhancing at every stage and step.
Haki Keogh
Tumu Whakawhanake Mātauranga
Te Heru Māpara
Together, we will build a dynamic educational landscape that honours our heritage while equipping our young people for the future.
Hei whakamārama
Introduction
Meaningful education and sustainable employment are the primary waka for the inter-generational transformation of the uri of Ngāti Maru. Te Heru Māpara was developed to give effect to this but it is not the only waka available to Ngāti Maru uri. To ensure success, we need to boost whānau success and develop future leaders at all levels of education. We believe Maru identity is a tremendous asset.
Tihe i a Maru Ora is a blueprint for future success. Our tamariki, rangatahi and whānau are a key element, which is why this strategy has been developed with your guidance. Tihe i a Maru Ora is about growing the encouragement, support, and practices to foster even greater educational success for uri. Most significantly, Tihe i a Maru Ora is an opportunity to harness our collective wisdom, intelligence and innovation to create brighter, more prosperous futures for all. Our approaches to implementing the strategy recognise the following:
> That this strategy was developed by uri of Ngāti Maru for the benefit of uri of Ngāti Maru and has uri at its heart
> Collaborative approaches ensure whānau are our priority and that we use our resources in the best way to realise their aspirations
> A clear strategy provides a strong platform to grow, develop and achieve our goals, learning as we go, and becoming stronger, bolder, more confident, and more highly qualified, together.
> Uri interest and passion for education is both obvious and an inspiration. For the first time, we have a strategy, Tihe i a Maru Ora; we have a roadmap towards our success at all levels of education. It is our “superpower” as one uri expressed it.
Tihe i a Maru Ora is an opportunity to harness our collective wisdom, intelligence and innovation to create brighter, more prosperous futures for all.
Ngāti Maruwharanui: resilient, creative, proudly reclaiming our narrative and empowering our people to thrive on their own terms.
Ngā kōrero o ngā uri
Feedback from uri
During consultation, uri also developed a series of aspirational statements which will guide our activities and actions over the next decade. These can be summarised as:
· Ngāti Maru mokopuna have access to, and are provided with, a strong educational platform, grounded in Ngāti Marutanga, at Te Kōhanga Reo or other early childhood providers
· Ngāti Maru mokopuna know who they are, where they come from, and stand proudly in te ao Māori and te ao hurihuri, and who can access Kura Kaupapa Māori or be embraced at other kura.
· Ngāti Maru uri are confident in their knowledge of their iwi, reo, whenua, whakapapa and Ngāti Marutanga, and they understand the unique and important space they hold as uri of Ngāti Maru. They can access Wharekura, or having our reo and culture supported and reinforced in other secondary settings.
· Ngāti Maru tamariki, rangatahi and pakeke are supported through challenges to seize opportunities on their education journey. Uri have the skills and abilities to access pathways into tertiary education in any discipline or level.
· Ngāti Maru uri will leave compulsory education with the confidence to go onto higher education and employment in ever increasing numbers, and have the knowledge and confidence to have a wide range of choices and options open to them.
· Ngāti Maru uri are aware of education and employment pathways and successfully transition into higher value opportunities to support further whānau, hapū and iwi transformation.
From this comes, Te Ara Whakakitenga Mātauranga, an education vision for uri which arose from our summit in Waitara:
Ngāti Maru i te puna mātauranga
Ngāti Maru whai whakamāramatanga hei kai
Kia tupu, ka rea, ka ora te iwi.
Ngāti Maru is a deep pool source of knowledge
Ngāti Maru uri seek deeper understandings
May the people grow, prosper and live abundantly.
Additonally, the uri of Ngāti Maru will continue to access education opportunities to realise their full potential and contribute to the further revitalisation of our iwi. Overall, hauora, higher standards of living, and continued cultural reinvigoration of our Marutanga will be particularly important goals for us to strive toward.
“Overall, hauora, higher standards of living, and continued cultural reinvigoration of our Marutanga will be particularly important goals for us to strive toward.”
Similarly, uri supported this and proposed a vision for themselves, which we also embrace as a pou of this strategy:
Mā uri o Ngāti Maru, te whāinga mātauranga e okioki ai, Mā te tangata, mā te whānau, mā te hapū me te iwi, mā te hapū ngā wawatā o te iwi e whai mana.
The descendants, together have educational aims to strive for, For every uri, every individual, their family, hapū and iwi acting on their aspirations, exercising real power.
The advent of Te Heru Māpara is part of our education evolution. Ngāti Maru uri are present in senior roles at all levels of education and our aim is to facilitate the best quality
education and employment outcomes for uri. Our education activities exist to support these aspirations and empower further whānau, hapū and iwi success. We have and seek more collaborative partnerships with other providers to open up even more choices for uri and whānau and to provide much better support for Ngāti Maru success.
To support this, we are undertaking capability-building activities with our staff and key stakeholders so they understand the depth of our committment to raising educational achievement for the uri of Ngāti Maru. We can broker training and seek additional resourcing, but only where our high standards for ākonga support are met or surpassed. We seek to normalise educational excellence, drawing from the many examples we already have.
Through rising education achievement comes greater choices in employment, especially of the best remunerated work, and at management and governance level. We are unapologetically focussed on ensuring all our mokopuna fulfil their potential and enjoy the fruits that come with raising levels of education. We are singlemindedly committed to providing our uri with the riches of Ngāti Maru cultural capital, and to further reinvigorating pride in our whakapapa, and living confidently as Ngāti Maru uri.
“We can broker training and seek additional resourcing, but only where our high standards for ākonga support are met or surpassed.”
Me pēhea te āhua o te āko mō te uri o Ngāti Maru, te iwi o Maruwharanui
What should teaching and learning look like for Ngāti Maru uri?
Te Kohanga Reo Early Childhood Education
Kura Primary Education
Kei a Ngāti Maru tamaraki me etahi atu te papa mo te whakatipu i o rātou pūkenga ki te reo Māori me te pūtake o to rātou Marutanga ka taea te whanui
Ngāti Maru tamariki and others have the platform to grow their skill in te reo Māori and the basis of their Marutanga can be broadened
Ko te mātauranga i te reanga tuatahi kia hangaia hei whakakotahi i te reo Māori, hei whakakoi i te Marutanga, hei whakatakoto i te turanga mō ngā pūkenga oranga me te angitu a meake nei.
Education at primary level should be designed to consolidate Te reo Māori, inculcate Marutanga, and set the foundation for core life skills and future success.
Kura Kaupapa Māori Secondary Education
Apprenticeships
Te Heru Māpara
PTEs
Polytechnics
Wānanga Universities
Mahi Employment
Ko te mātauranga i te taumata tuarua e whakakaha ana i te mōhiotanga ki te reo Māori, e whakapūmau ana, e whakakaha ana i te tuakiri o Ngāti Maru, e hanga ana i ngā tikanga mo te angitu i roto i te kura tuatoru me te whai mahi.
Education at secondary level reinforces competence in Te Reo Māori, solidifies and reinforces Ngāti Maru identity, creating the conditions for success in tertiary education and employment.
Kei te uri o Ngāti Maru i ngā rātonga, ngā mātauranga me ngā whiringa hei whakatau i tō rātou ake huarahi i roto i te whare wānanga, ahakoa he māngai, he tohu kairangi rānei. Ko ngā uri o Ngāti Maru he maia, he mōhio, he maha ngā rauemi mō te angitu.
Ngāti Maru uri have the information, knowledge and choices to determine their own pathway through tertiary education, whether it be an apprenticeship or a doctorate. Ngāti Maru uri have the confidence, are well-informed, and wellresourced for success.
Kei ngā uri o Ngāti Maru i ngā pūkenga, ngā tohu ki te uru atu ki ngā mahi e whai hua ana i te taha hāpori, e utu pai ana, e hiahia ana hoki.
The uri of Ngāti Maru have the skills, qualifications and credentials to access work which is socially useful, wellremunerated, and in demand.
Every decision we make reflects our commitment to support, nurture, and empower our people throughout their educational journeys.
He aha ngā whāinga o mātauranga mō
Ngāti Maru, te iwi o Maruwharanui?
What are goals of education for Ngāti Maru iwi?
enhanced whānau resilience
greater ability to exercise mana motuhake
improved hauora and stronger cultural identity
enhanced capacity to provide uri with wider life choices
better employment opportunities and higher remuneration
stronger ability to meet whānau, hapū and iwi goals
stronger resilience during tough economic times
longer life expectancy and better life course health
We collaborate with our communities to create solutions that reflect who we are and lay the foundation for the generations to come.
Ngā hononga rautaki
Fostering Strategic Relationships
Ka ngana te wairangi ki te mahi i ngā mahi katoa i te wā e mōhio ana te tangata mōhio ki te uara o te mahi tahi, te tuku, me ngā kaupapa matua.
Te Kāhui Maru Trust, Te Heru Māpara and Tupu ā Nuku hold a wide range of relationships built up over a number of years. Relationships and collaboration are the keys to our success. We have relationships across our rohe and beyond, including central and local government agencies, service providers, with NGOs and with uri in multiple ways. Working smartly to unlock more opportunities for uri is our guiding principle and this strategy will help uri keep ourselves and our partners accountable.
Tihe i a Maru Ora is ground breaking because it is the first ever Education Strategy for Ngāti Maru. We are committed to broadening our engagement with supportive partners who align with your dreams, aspirations and passions. Our approach, goals, and strategy stem directly from you. Our engagement strategy is built on the following understandings:
· Collaboration is very often a better way to achieve shared outcomes;
· Collaboration helps us maximise the impact of our interventions;
· Collaboration exposes us to more resources, expertise we do not currently possess, and innovative ways of working that we can borrow and benefit from;
· Collaboration helps us benefit from economies of scale and to plan economic development and education activities
· Collaboration is part of the Ngāti Maru DNA, as is resilience, innovation, and the exercise of tino rangatiratanga.
· Collaboration (mahitahi) is how we live. Let’s celebrate and use our rich cultural heritage to transform our futures!
Tihe i a Maru Ora is ground breaking because it is the first ever education Strategy for Ngāti Maru.
We plant the seed, the plume appears, the seedling grows, the root systems join together, the Kahikatea stands strong.
Te rauwiringa kaiao mātauranga
The Education Ecosystem
Despite our starting points we are all seeds of potential that require nurturing and care in order to flourish.
In some areas, we may be the mighty kahikatea, whereas in others, a seed. Each requires support and nourishment in order to grow to their full potential. Education is about growth.
It is not difficult to imagine in the near future a time when a new wave of Ngāti Maru uri are accessing their full potential and providing an injection of leadership and acumen into iwi affairs. Confidence and education leads to great transformations!
The age old question is where to invest. The evidence is clear. At the earlliest possible opportunity in the first 1000 days by providing rich educational environments that offer maximal neurological, cultural, emotional and intellectual stimulation.
Getting the balance right, however is more art than science. Te Heru Māpara came into being because of a need, a demand for foundation literacy and numeracy skills, and a strong desire to growing the portfolio of programmes at every level. These measures take time to make a dramatic impact but the upward rate of travel is inexorable as it is undeniable. Ngāti Maru can look forward to even better education outcomes, and more graduates with the skills needed to propel the aspirations and moemoeā encapsulated in this document.
It is a document of hope, promise and it creates a guide to better outcomes in the future, building on the successes achieved. Learning is a life long pursuit. From kōhanga, to kura, to wharekura, to Youth Guarantee, to apprenticeships, other work-based learning, Private Training Establishments like Te Heru Māpara, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, Wānanga, to Universities, into Crown Research Institutes. The sky is the limit, whānau! We value and believe in all of you!
It is not difficult to imagine in the near future a time when a new wave of Ngāti Maru are accessing their full potential and providing an injection of leadership and acumen into iwi affairs.
Te rauwiringa kaiao mātauranga
As the diagram below illustrates, life is a process of continuous learning, with mastery in some areas. As uri, our role is to support each other to realise our full potential however we interact with life-long learning goals. It is recognising ako; our capacity to teach and our capacity to learn is one bestowed upon us by tūpuna. We should thus seek out situations where we can improve our knowledge, particularly where this can bring advantage, expertise, relief or benefit to others. Education is both a taonga and koha that we all have a kaitiaki role to nurture and encourage. Rapua te mātauranga hei āwhina i te tini!
Ka whakato “Te Kākano”
We plant “The seed”
Ka puta mai “Te Puāwai” “The Plume”appears
Ka tipu “Te Pihinga”
“The Seedling” continues to grow
Ka “Tūhono” ngā pakiaka The root systems “join together”
Ka tu kaha “Kahikatea”
The “Kahikatea” trees stand strong
E tu maia, e tu manawanui eee!
Stand confident, stand resolute!
Te anga mahi o Maru Ora
The Maru Ora Framework
MARU PAE
Strengthening our connections
Establishing connections and building relationships with the learner and whānau.
MARU MURI
Understanding and learning from our history
Understand where our people come from, their journey, experience and foundations of the past then address any barriers to learning and engagement.
MARU ROTO
Strengthening within
Strengthening within by building life skills, resilience, cultural capital, and wellbeing to enable better lives and personal empowerment.
MARU TIKETIKE
Reaching for the heavens, celebrating achievement and success
Celebrating and supporting learner success through real change, employment outcomes or further education and training.
MARU TAHA
Strengthening realationships and partnerships
Engaging with stakeholders and employers to create pathways for our learners.
MARU MUA
Strengthening our future
Strengthening Maru’s future through training, education, tools for learning and skills required for a succesful career, meaningful employment, or further education.
The Maru Ora Framework comes from Te Kāhui Maru Trust’s framework, tailored to education and employment. Relationships (Maru Pae) are at the heart of our enterprise and the crux of learner success.
The strength of our relationships encourages confidence, the courage to learn new skills, and to value the education journey of every learner (Maru Muri). Building life skills, resilience and hauora is every bit as importance of the attainment of a qualification (Maru Roto). Education is crucial to the further Ngāti Maru transformation (Maru Mua).
We all aim to work with stakeholders to create better, stronger pathways for ākonga (Maru Taha). Celebrating the success of learners creates the conditions for even greater success, and an organisation that marks success is one committed to continuous improvement in service of ākonga (Maru tiketike).
Thus, the strategy itself is guided by the Maru Ora framework and driven by the whakaaro from uri. This was mainly given at the Education Summit in Waitara, and through iterations of this document. The strategy thus seeks to capture the aspirations of uri and be aligned with the Maru Ora framework.
Te reo pū matua o ngā uri
Voices from uri
We asked uri to talk about the importance of education and this is a selection of what they told us.
‘We
empower our rangatahi with knowledge and skills, we open the doors to a future that honours their dreams and aspirations.’
Hineakura Tokotaua
Mā tini, Mā Mano ka rapa te whai Through collaboration our success is more assured.
Analogies and metaphors are strong in the Te Kōhanga Reo movement, and the nourishment of the learner is our paramount priority. The holistic well-being of the child underpinned by te reo tūpuna and the culture that supports that. We aim to create a sustainable cycle of te reo teachers to sustain the movement. That is why Te Kōhanga reo is the primary focus for me. Mēnā ka poipoia te reo Māori, ka ora tātou katoa. (If the language is nurtured, it will sustain us all).
Why do I send my tamaiti to Ngā Pekanga TKR over other ECE?
· Learning their Māori language and culture
· Developing their identity and sense of belonging
· Building knowledge, skills and confidence
· Feeling a sense of physical, emotional and spiritual security Being supported and cared for by familiar whānau. That is it in a nutshell.
Learning to learn is as important as what is actually learnt. A lot of our ākonga are the tamariki of whānau who don’t speak the reo or understand their culture well but they recognise it is important for the next generation. Education is about identity, building a sense of belonging, tūrangawaewae and continuing those things tuku iho for succeeding generations. In an ideal system, Kōhanga, Kura Kaupapa and Bilingual Units would work collaboratively to ensure learners get the very best grounding for their futures.
Linda Waru-Lackner Kaiako, Bilingual Unit, Waitara East School
We empower our rangatahi with knowledge and skills, we open the doors to a future that honors their dreams and aspirations. For the first time, our iwi has a comprehensive education strategy that reflects the value we put on growing and developing our people. By expanding the horizons of our ākonga, we’re not just opening doors to better jobs, we’re nurturing the next generation of leaders and changemakers. This is the heart of kaupapa Māori education - to ignite the spark within our young people, to fuel their passions, and to guide them on a journey of discovery and purpose. Let us inspire our rangatahi to dream big, embrace their greatness, and to become the best version of themselves.
Hineakura Tokotaua Kaiwhakahihiri Taiohi, Te Heru Māpara
Lesley ‘Ati’ Patu TKR o Waitara
Nacole Pue Whānau member
Ngā Pekanga Te Kōhanga Reo, Waitara
Education takes us where we want to go. It is the fuel in our engines. It teaches us about the world, and those around us, but also about our own identity and pride in who we are. It should also be fun!
Through postgraduate study I have been able to theorise, research and write about our identity as ngā uri o Taranaki and our tino rangatiratanga in a way that I might not have been able to until much later in life. To spend time reading and sharing kōrero with whānau has been one of the great privileges of my life, it can be lots of fun too! Current and future generations of Māori scholars are needed to ensure that research is transformative for our people. Western institutions of academia are not built for us but I always maintain that we’ve always theorised and researched about the world around us, we didn’t traverse the entire pacific ocean off of a whim!! The haerenga roa that is post-grad doesn’t just enrich you as an individual but it provides the opportunity to enhance our whānau, hapū and iwi aspirations.
Te Kahurangi Skelton Assistant Research Fellow, University
of Otago
Whai muri i te oranga o Te Kohango reo, ko KKM te oranga ake nui. I kōnei ka whakanuia te noho Māori i runga i te tikanga o te ako i te reo rangatira i rukuhia ki roto i ngā tikanga. He mea nui te tuakiritanga. I kōnei ka taea e ngā ākonga te ako ko wai tonu rātou, me te whai hononga ki ō rātou whakapapa me ō rātou tūpuna. Ko te reo te kawe i te ahurea nō reira ko te hiahia kia rukuhia a tātou ākonga ki roto i te reo me o rātou ake tikanga kia eke ai rātou ki o rātou taumata.
Kirititanga Maxwell
Kaiāwhina, Te Pihipihinga Kākano mai o Rangiātea KKM
Education is so importatnt because it prepares you for the adult world and I want to be a lawyer. Education is the building blocks for further progression. The one thing I have learnt from my secondary schooling is that not all work is easy but the struggle and determination to solve problems is important.
Year 13, Te KKM o Ngāti Ruanui
Wiremu Trainor (12) Manukorihi Intermediate School
Pikihuia Hockley
Learning Support, or ensuring our tamariki and rangatahi with diverse learning needs are supported in their learning, is crucial. This includes tamariki who are neurodiverse, have disabilities and behavioural challenges. We walk alongside whānau to ensure the needs of the tamaiti and the whānau are met in culturally responsive ways. The whānau then has the opportunity to build whanaungatanga and to share whakapapa, pepeha, values, knowledge, hopes and aspirations. They identify the strengths and potential of the tamaiti, ensuring whānau voice is central. Practising and modelling manaakitanga is a core part of Māori education and enabling success in education as Māori.
Offering other pathways to educational achievement is important. Our role is to assist every tauira to excel and exceed and accomplish their dreams and aspirations. Not all students fit into the round holes of mainstream schooling. In this setting learners get more attention because the relationship is even more important. Often focusing on their passions and interests is a wonderful way of re-engaging ākonga. Providing alternative options makes our system more responsive, flexible and culturally coherent.
Health and education are intrinsically linked. Achieving academic success is challenging without physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being. Primary education delivers comprehensive knowledge across all subjects, whilst fostering routine, stability, and a safe environment for all learners. The cultivation of ethics, identity, and values is vital for the holistic well-being of each child.
Kiri Trainor
Nawton Intermediate School, Hamilton
Education is about empowerment or fulfilling potential, or it should be. In a kaupapa Māori environment, the obstacles and traumas of the past can be released so learning can begin. Education, especially learning the language and customs of our ancestors, is the holistical oranga that awaits all of us! Reconnection with Te Ao Māori gives us an insight into the world our tūpuna lived and unlocks our full potential because knowing yourself and our identity is a superpower. We are not atoms; we have whakapapa and history. I did not “succeed” at school but I did not let that experience define me. As an educator, we are tasked to show our students their potential, and the possibilities for healing and growth.
Mirihana Patu
Pouako reo, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (Ngāmotu) & Kaiārahi, Whakakoi Māpara (Te Heru Māpara)
Kiriana Burrows Kaitakewaenga, Ministry of Education (Ngāmotu)
Melissa Henare Kaiwhakaako, Ngā Wānanga o Māui Potiki
Higher education empowers learners to make meaningful contributions to their whānau and communities. Our role is to offer accessible programmes and qualifications that enable our people to learn in ways that resonate with us, gaining the skills needed for meaningful employment and the tools to thrive as lifelong learners. An important part of that journey is reconnecting to learning, our whenua and our whakapapa.
Kia whakamaru te tū o te tangata me whāngaia te kura ki tua o Te Heru Māpara.
Guiding a young mind is a tremendous gift and responsibility, and instilling confidence and pride in our identity as Ngāti Maru and Māori is incredibly important. My role is to guide, nurture and mentor our tamariki so they see education has real value in their lives. It is that relational nexus - the tangata ki tangata - that the magic happens - instilling belief, confidence, and capability into ākonga.
Having a PhD allows you to amplify the voice of your hapū and iwi and to be heard in spaces of power and decision making that can provide opportunities for access, health and wellbeing for your people. It allow not well understood knowledge to be liberated for the collectiove good. It allows you time to think and create new dreams, to innovate, to become clear, to rebel, to dare to think and to act. The journey provides you with opportunities to gain new skills, new thinking abilities, new knowledge and new ways of doing in service of your hapū/whānau/iwi.
To know your reo, is to know yourself. To know me, is to know my language. It is the richest cultural inheritance. Without it, how can one understand the treasure which is the Māori worldview, our tikanga, whakapapa. Everything is embedded in the language. This is deeper than mere language acquisition, and while that is a commendable goal in itself, Te reo is the absolute key to understanding our identity as uri of Ngāti Maru. It is our connection to Ātua, all creation, and our tūpuna in a nutshell. This profound truth is available to every member of Ngāti Maru.
Tumu Ahurea, Te Kāhui Maru Trust
Haki Keogh Tumu Whakawhanake Mātauranga, Te Heru Māpara
Dr Shane Edwards Educator, Ngāti Maru/Ngātii Maniapoto
Tamzyn Pue
Te kawe matua o ngā uri
Areas of priority as identified by uri
Nationally, there have been incremental improvements in Māori educational achievement, however Tihe ai Maru Ora seeks to be a model that provides the basis for greater transformation for ngā uri o Ngāti Maru. This requires us to take a long, medium and immediate term view.
Long-term goals identified
Our long term goals as articulated by uri include:
· Te Kōhanga Reo based on mātauranga o Ngāti Maru
· Kura Kaupapa Māori based on mātaraunga o Ngāti Maru
· Significant contribution to a Wharekura where Ngāti Maru values, knowledge and tikanga are clearly evident
A Whare Wānanga
Medium-term goals identified
Our medium term goals are:
Ngāti Maru uri in Te Kōhanga reo settings have access to tailored Ngāti Maru materials and resources, including kaiako
· Ngāti Maru uri in Kura Kaupapa and mainstream school settings have access to Ngāti Maru mātauranga
· Ngāti Maru uri performance at secondary level matches performance nationwide
· Te Heru Māpara supports the economic and cultural vitalisation of Ngāti Maru
Short term, or immediate goals
Short term, or immediate goals espoused by uri included:
· The development of Ngāti Maru resources to aid Te Kohanga Reo
· The development of Ngāti Maru resources to aid primary school education in the rohe and in centres of high Ngāti Maru concentration
· Assisting secondary schools to engage better with whānau and to incorporate mātauranga Māori in teaching resources
· Aligning Te Heru Māpara provision with the asset base of Te Kāhui Maru Trust Elaborating a holistic model of student support that differentiates Te Heru Māpara from other teriary education providers (i.e. Maru Hikuroa)
· Expanding the reach of Te Heru Māpara by acting as a resource for other Taranaki iwi using a brokerage model
· Increasing the scope of provision offered by Te Heru Māpara, particularly focus on rangatahi, in the primary industries, in initial line management, and other area of strategic importance for Te Heru Māpara/Te Kāhui Maru Trust.
Te rautaki o Ngāti Maruwharanui
The Iwi of Maruwharanui Education Strategy at a glance
1 Creating opportunities and pathways Te Heru Māpara will increase the options in education for Ngāti Maru uri
2 Promoting stronger education outcomes
Ngāti Maru will increasingly redefine success for Ngāti Maru uri, and support learners to maximise their potential so they achieve their very best outcomes
3 Promoting transformation, brokering change
4 Providing educational leadership to Ngāti Maru uri
Ngāti Maru will promote system-wide educational transformation for the benefit of uri, and collaborate in strategic partnerships that encourage stronger uri education outcomes.
Ngāti Maru will focus its educational activities on delivering maximum benefit to Ngāti Maru uri through exercising a leadership role. This will consist of advice, advocacy and collaborative activities aimed to advance Ngāti Maru interests.
Strategy 1
Creating opportunities and pathways
1.1 Enable Ngāti Maru whānau to access a greater range of educational options. Through the activities of Te Heru Māpara and Tupu ā Nuku, by direct provision, brokerage and collaboration, make more education and training options available to Ngāti Maru whānau.
1.2 Measure and understand Ngāti Maru participation and performance across the education system. Outline the nature of Ngāti Maru uri and learners participating in the education system, from ECE to tertiary, and to monitor improvements in participation and achievement over time.
Strategy 2
Promoting stronger education outcomes
2.1 Develop and advocate for the use of best practice models for the benefit of Ngāti Maru iwi. For example The Maru Ora Framework and Maru Hikuroa team.
Develop models of education using mātauranga-a-iwi, including further iterations of Te Heru Māpara understandings of best practice student learner support. Enhance providers ability to foster Māori education excellence and success in Taranaki through the analysis of performance metrics.
2.2 Celebrating success and achievement.
Recognising and supporting Ngāti Maru learners who are successful on their education journeys. We need to share stories of success in education and employment, to capture the drivers of their success, and to inspire rangatahi and their whānau.
Te rautaki o Ngāti Maruwharanui
Strategy 3
Promoting transformation, brokering change
3.1 Ngāti Maru will promote system-wide educational transformation for the benefit of uri, and collaborate in strategic partnerships that encourage stronger uri education outcomes.
Ngāti Maru will use its existing relationships to change behaviour and revamp curricula so that compulsory education is more responsive to the needs and aspirations of tāngata whenua, strongly supported by greater mātauranga Māori content and enhanced by the full implementation of the Maru Ora Framework, and implementation of the Maru Hikuroa team.
3.2 Te Heru Māpara will leverage its network of relationships and collaborative partnerships to make a wider suite of tertiary education provision available to Ngāti Maru uri.
Through innovation and strategic alliances, Te Heru Māpara will create stronger pathways with Universities, Wānanga, Te Pūkenga and other tertiary education providers to facilitate the advancement of Ngāti Maru uri and increase the quantum of local Kaupapa Māori delivery.
Strategy 4
Providing educational leadership to Ngāti Maru uri
4.1 Te Kāhui Maru Trust, largely though not exclusively through Te Heru Māpara, will focus its educational activities on delivering maximum benefit to Ngāti Maru uri through exercising a leadership role for uri. This will consist of advice, advocacy and collaborative activities aimed to advance Ngāti Maruwharanui strategic interests by creating greater opportunities for Ngāti Maru success.
Recognising that the uri of Ngāti Maru are its most valuable and precious resource, decision-making will be informed by a strong desire to maximise their potential, create new opportunities, and empower education success through a distinctively Ngāti Maru lens. See Maru Ora Framework.
4.2 Engage the Crown and influence Policy Development.
Ensure that the Crown meets its obligation under the Treaty of Waitangi and gives effect to the relationship with Ngāti Maru. Use evidence to engage and lobby agencies and inform policy recommendations that prioritises Kaupapa Maru tertiary education and employment.
4.3 Develop stronger strategic relationships.
Te Kāhui Maru Trust, principally through its education and employment vehicle, Te Heru Māpara, will further develop strategic relationships with iwi, education organisations, employers, and government agencies to promote and support success in education for Ngāti Maru whānau across a broader range of fields and sectors. Further our relationship with a range of organisations, including the Ministry of Education, the Tertiary Education Commission, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Ministry for the Environment and many others.
Ngā reo o te heke mai
Voices of the future
We asked uri to talk about how they saw education in the future and this is a selection of what they told us:
‘What Te Heru Māpara is doing to link schools with employers and further learning opportunities is incredibly important. There is a whole world outside the classroom.’ Tama James Tuffley
The future is exciting. I think Te Kōhanga reo will go from strength to strength. In the future I want to see a stronger pipeline from Kōhanga to Kura-ā-iwi and on to higher education. The iwi can play a stronger role. It would be nice to lease this land from them and accelerate the processes of, by Ngāti Maru for Ngāti Maru at all levels of the education system.
Ngā Pekanga Te Kōhanga Reo, Waitara
Education is so important. I want to be a reporter/journalist because I am a sophisticated writer. In future, rural schools will get bigger as the population grows. It will be a mix of online and in person.
School allows you to go places and do things. I want to work with babies and I will need to study. Playing will still be important because everyone wants to play with their friends.
In the future, Ngāti Maru will have agreements with Universities and Wānanga that support the strategic direction of the Trust. This might include scholarships, the use of Ngāti Maru content where it makes sense, and group discounts on fees, etc. I think this will happen in time.
Anonymous Higher Ed Student
Brenda Pue
Rikki-Lee Tokotaua Pupil, Huiakama School
Kaya Tokotaua Pupil, Huiakama School
I definitely think there needs to be more subjects and learning pathways available at secondary school. I am interested in project management, communications, broadcasting and leadership. Iwi history and mātauranga should be enabled so it is taught in schools. Without the wonderful whānau I have, I would learn nothing of our Marutanga in schools and that could definitely change. It is the same for other local iwi too. I am interested in community development and the school curriculum doesn’t cater for that.
Learning while you are earning is the way to go. In future, I think more education will take place on the job. The workplace can be quite different to school and I prefer this way of learning. While at Kura I was involved in the build-abach programme and I showed an aptitude for construction early on. I think what Te Heru Māpara is doing to link schools with employers and further learning opportunities is incredibly important. There is a whole world outside the classroom.
Ultimately, a Ngāti Maru wānanga might be a logical conclusion given time and momentum. A vehicle that not only promotes a wider array of education and employment outcomes for Ngāti Maru, but for other Taranaki iwi too. A For-Maru, By-Maru approach does not need to be exclusive or just empire-building - it should be aimed at engaging and mobilising all the unfulfilled Māori potential. It is clear that the only way to advance education and employment outcomes is to be more actively engaged in delivering them. In time, a wānanga may be that vehicle. It may not, but it is worth thinking about. Te Heru Māpara should be just the beginning.
What will language and culture learning look like in the future? Who can predict? What I will say, despite Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the new technologies the tools already existing is, I think the Kāinga Kōrerorero (language in the home) is the most effective and it is how my moko learn. We cannot rely on institutes and wānanga but should instead instil a sense of personal commitment in the kāinga. Learning te reo and trying to fit a business model is not ideal. Te reo is a taonga and remains up to us to keep alive, now, to assure its nourishment of future generations.
Anonymous Tertiary Education Stakeholder
Paerangi King-Cassidy Year 10, Waitara High School
Tama James Tuffley Building and Construction Apprentice (BCITO)
Rumatiki Timu
Tumu Ahurea, Te Kāhui Maru Trust
Āpitihanga A:
Ngā meka me ngā whakaaturanga mō
Ngāti Maru i te mātauranga me te mahi
Appendix A: Ngāti Maru Education Facts and Figures
1. Early Childhood and Primary Schooling
Early Childhood Centres and Te Kōhanga Reo are not required to report detailed information about individual learners to the Ministry of Education for funding purposes, but we know the Te Kōhanga Reo and Waitara Early Learning Centre both have high numbers of Ngāti Maru uri as learners and significant Ngāti Maru involvement as Kaiako, te reo Māori language assistance and Management.
For ECE and Te Kōhanga Reo our primary focus may look at the development of resources to aid learning, in a similar way to the compulsory sector. This was a primary finding of the development of the Ngāti Maru Education Strategy.
1.2 Primary Schools
Our role in primary school consists of cultural advice to two Kāhui Ako clusters of schools, regular liaison and support, school visits and other activities.
2. Compulsory Schooling
· Total Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) enrolled in all Taranaki schools up to the age of 18 estimated at 1,540 in 2023.
· 750 Ngāti Maru children at years 1-13 in 2023 in Taranaki, or approximately 5% of total school population.
· Total secondary age in Taranaki with some affiliation to Ngāti Maru, 13 - 17 years = 355 in 2023. Approx. 445 Ngāti Maru aged 1-12. 14,000 school children population years 1-13 in Taranaki. 6500 identify as Māori approx. 30% of school population.
· Around 300 Māori students studying at kura Kaupapa Māori e.g. approx. 2% regionally. Overall Taranaki schooling network: 95 schools: 77 primary, 12 secondary, 6 composite schools.
· There are 13,100 people aged 15-24 years, of which 1,800 are considered NEET. Taranaki has an aging workforce, with the largest group being in the 50-65 age range so there are opportunities for Ngāti Maru to take up more diverse and more numerous roles in the workforce of today and tomorrow.
Secondary Schooling
From 2017-22, 9 students identified as Ngāti Maru within NM traditional rohe boundary, Attendance records in Taranaki in 2022, show 25% of pupils identified with Ngāti Maru iwi (Taranaki).
· 245 of 312 achieved NCEA Level 1 literacy and numeracy in 2021 (New Plymouth schools). [78%]
· 207 of 312 achieved NCEA Level 1 in 2021 (New Plymouth schools) [66%].
· 191 of 246 Māori candidates achieved NCEA Level 2 in 2021 (New Plymouth schools) [78%]. 94 of 175 achieved NCEA Level 3 in 2021 (New Plymouth schools) [54%].
· In 2020, 46% of NM iwi school leavers left with NCEA 1 (28%) and below L1 (18%) – nationwide.
· In 2019, 53% of school leavers destinations were not enrolled in tertiary study, more males than females 58% to 50% - nationwide.
Tertiary Education
· In the period, 2017-2021, there were 285 Ngāti Maru enrolments, with 195 were female, making up 68% of all Ngāti Maru enrolments between L1-L10. Of 130 qualification completions over the same five year period, over 90 were female and 40 male equating to a qualification completion rate of approximately 45%.
· Of the 285, males and females prefer vocational level study 2-6) (54% of all enrolments followed by Level 7+ (Degree and above) for 35% of all enrolments.
· From 2017-2021, the achievement percentage at Level 7+ for those identified as Ngāti Maru was just over 30%.
· The level of participation for Ngāti Maru in tertiary education in Taranaki was slightly above Māori regional rates in Taranaki and slightly below national rates of participation for Māori.
Ngāti Maru learners aged 25-39 years of age and 40+ are the majority group of completions and these enrolments are situated mainly in vocational level students.
· The majority of Level 7+ completions were by Ngāti Maru under 25 years of age.
· The data suggests greater scaffolding support is needed across each level of study, especially in vocational and up to Level 7+.
· During this period there is a clear correlation between vocational level study and qual completions (61%) of all completions and 54% of all enrolments.
· Based on Te Tāhūhū o Te Mātauranga (Ministry of Education) data, we can hypothesise that clear occupational pathways, and exposure to the workplace, supports onward transitions for learners at the same level of study e.g. retention promoting stronger likelihood of completion.
· From 2010, Te Puni Kōkiri data we know that income disparities between Māori and others start to converge
at NZQF Level 4, and by NZQF Level 7, income disparities are negligible. [(Workman, Van Der Lem and Landers, Te Puni Kōkiri, (2010)].
· This suggests vocational qualifications at level 4 and above are a desirable goal for Ngāti Maru uri.
· To lift the achievement rate to 63% (12% increase) in rough alignment with NZ median completions targeted support, targeted recruitment and clear pathways into foundation to vocational to Level 7+.
· Better results stem from retention within education which ultimately provides the opportunity to address and incentivise completions. That is clear, brokered pathways to higher qualifications should be considered as a interim measure to the delivery of higher qualifications, with a strong workplace component to reinforce and embed skills learned. This is what Te Heru Māpara is doing using its Maru Ora approach; Te Rōpu Maru Hikuroa.
· Of the 285 Ngāti Maru enrolments,2017-2021, 260 are with public providers (91%).
· In the time period, Te Tāhuhu o Mātauranga data highlights the completion rates at wānanga are the highest (68%) which validates the continued indigenisation of Te Heru Māpara with Mātaurangaa-iwi and the Maru Ora Model and the Maru Hikuroa team.
However, Te Pūkenga is the preferred provider based on numbers of enrolments e.g. 110 of 260 (or approximately 43%).
· Completions at Universities and Te Pūkenga appear to be more challenging than wānanga, this is probably correlated to the effectiveness of culturally appropriate delivery organisational systems, and we assert, the cultural responsiveness of pastoral care systems.
Completion rates from 2017-2021 at Universities are 31% and 36% respectively at Te Pūkenga.
Appendix B: Ko te mahi o Te Heru Māpara
The role of Te Heru Māpara
Āpitihanga B:
Ko te mahi o Te Heru Māpara
Te Heru Māpara in the tertiary landscape
Appendix B: The role of Te Heru Māpara
Te Heru Māparu traces its origins back to 1992. It was purchased as Feats and rebranding at Te Heru Māpara in 2023. It is our primary vehcile for vocational education and empplyment.
Te Heru Māpara in the tertiary landscape
Te Heru Māpara traces its origins back to 1992. It was purchased as Feats and rebranded as Te Heru Māpara in 2023. It is our primary vehicle for vocational education and employment.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) our principal funder have conceptualised Māori learner success as depicted below. As a representative of a system it has many advantages, but at Te Heru Māpara we needed a strong kaupapa Maru focus, and hence, the development of the Maru ora model.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) our principal funder have conceptualised Māori learner success as depicted below. As a representative of a system it has many advantages, but at Te Heru Māpara we needed a strong kaupapa Maru focus, and hence, the development of the Maru Ora model.
‘ Ōritetanga
Used with permission
permission
We access the bulk our funding below NQCNZ Level 4 at present. A degree is typically Level 5, 6 and 7. No one else has iwi-owned Māori Private Training Establishment (PTE) in Taranaki. Kaupapa Maru, maatauranga-a-iwi with be the found for Te Heru Māpara.
Te Heru Mapara therefore needed our own conceptual model; something that encapsulates
Fig 1.0 Tertiary Education Commision ‘ Ōritetanga Maori Learner Success in the Tertiary Education Landscape in NZ’.
Fig 1.0 Tertiary Education Commision
Māori Learner Success in the Tertiary Education Landscape in NZ’. Used with
The Te Heru Māpara tohu encapsulates our aspirations and visions. At this point, a PhD might not be for everyone, but we want to ensure our people have the core foundation skills to help them navigate modern life.
We access the bulk of our funding below NZQA Level 4 at present. A degree is typically Level 5, 6 and 7. No one else has an iwi-owned Māori Private Training Establishment (PTE) in Taranaki. Kaupapa Maru, mātauranga-ā-iwi will be the foundation for Te Heru Māpara.
Te Heru Māpara therefore needed our own conceptual model; something that encapsulates Maru culture and learning ecosytems we have now and those we will continue to create, iterate, review and refine. No one else in Taranaki offers what we do. Our approach is distinctive, novel, rooted in the strength of our Marutanga, and is an active learning laboratory as we refine the learnings we have, and propel towards the future with greater confidence and an increasingly expanding and diverse portfolio of kaupapa Maru provision.
We need to be bold, daring, and ambitious. We cannot afford to replicate things that have gone before which have not served our uri. Te Heru Māpara seeks to radically change education outcomes for uri, and we desire rapid transformation. It will be rooted in Marutanga and be operationalised from the conceptual to behavioural and implementational. We turn first to our precious tohu, te heru māpara for inspiration and guidance. For Kaimahi, ākonga and uri, these is a story to tell.
The heru captures our intent and purpose while honouring the history and foresight of our tūpuna. For our collective challenges, we should all only bow before the very highest peak while seeking to scale the heights of educational success for learners. This speaks to resilience, determination, patience, passion and dedication, hallmarks of the most successful learners. This informs our strategy. Our learners demonstrate these qualities and we must amplify and exemplify them.
The Te Heru Māpara tohu encapsulates our aspirations and visions. At this point, a PhD might not be for everyone, but we want to ensure our people have the core foundation skills to help them navigate modern life. That does not mean our ambitions and aspirations are not sizeable though—we want every Ngāti Maru uri to maximise their inherent potential and to strive for success and advancement at every level of education without having to sacrifice or minimise their Marutanga one little bit.
Te Heru Māpara espouses life-long learning in a modern world which is ever-changing. We believe using kaupapa Maru methodologies, incorporating our own reo, history and tikanga we can do much better than mainstream educators.
The Te Heru Māpara Tohu
For the first time, our iwi has a comprehensive education strategy that reflects the value we put on growing and developing our uri, enabling them to reach their potential and take their place in the world.
Ngā whai take o Te Heru Māpara
Mission statement
Kia whakamaru te tū o te tangata | Empower the stance of the individual.
To create an institution where the culture and Māori ways of knowing and experiencing are valued and supported, encouraging us to seek to flourish in a uniquely kaupapa Maru way.
Our tohu, a Heru Māpara, is a traditional comb that has pragmatic and practical uses, and reflects that Te Heru Māpara specialises in applied learning with a strong employment focus. The top of the Heru echos Ngārongo, our wharenui at Te Upoko o Te Whenua. The Poutama or staircases reference Māui and the three kete of knowledge, but also symbolise advancement toward greater knowledge. The angled niho (teeth) create the staircase underscoring the importance of the upward growth of the student and their time spent in consolidating new knowledge. The central triangle depicts our tūpuna mounga; Taranaki, representing high standards and attainment. It is also the iconic element that connects us to all iwi of Taranaki - being our commitment to support all hapū and iwi to realise their own educational aspirations. Our vertical tines of the comb forms represent pathways to success and development. There are many trajectories.
We seek to empower our people to contribute to the wellbeing of our communities, their whānau, hapū and Iwi and wider communities of interest. To be constructive, useful, helpful, and full of positivity. It recognises that we live in community and are interdependent on others; by co-operation, collaboration and creativity we may all bring each other better well-being.
Te anamata hōu
Vision
Whāngaia te kura ki tua o te heru māpara | Nurture the seed beyond the expected.
Creating future leaders for our communities,whānau, hapū and iwi is a huge part of our vision. We need to create the very best learning ecosystem we can to nurture, grow, progress and develop our biggest asset: our people.
Our kaimahi must also bring their talents, skills, experiences and reinforcing behaviour to bear whenever learning is taking place. It will be a learning curve for kaimahi too. Life is life-
long learning and what passes as an appropriate learning space has changed. It may not be a classroom, it might be in a forest, on a farm, or somewhere else where our staff need to have multi-faceted plans for individual and collective learning, assessing rapidly how learners learn best, and what support strategies and scaffolding is best suited to a multiplicity of approaches to respond to learner needs.
Ngā mātāpono – Te Heru Māpara
Values
Maru Nui
We will act with manaakitanga, humility, respect, patience, tolerance, and compassion.
Maru Roa
We will show resilience, fortitude and go the extra mile to achieve successful outcomes for our learners.
Maru Ora
We will strengthen and grow the whole person with a focus on the well-being of the individual and whānau. We strive to grow their confidence, self-pride, and Mana.
Our values must be lived, embodied and demonstrated on a daily basis. They come from our Maru Ora Framework. A purely intellectual understanding will not serve our learners best—we need to cater to all their needs, including spiritual, emotional, and lived experience. It requires some immersion into Ngāti Marutanga to best tautoko and support them, but also to gain exposure to appropriate cultural events where Ngāti Marutanga can be seen to be operative and active.
Resilience and fortitude is not the same as being perfect, or seeking to be something humanly impossible. Instead, resilience is a set of core beliefs, sentinel actions which demonstrate a viable way to avoid harm, and to recover quickly from setbacks. From a Te Heru Māpara perspective, ‘mistakes’ are simply triggers to further learning. We need not be hindered by our mistakes, particularly if we learn from them, or those around us who have made mistakes.
People will make mistakes. It does not have to be a catastrophe, it can be a time to re-evaluate, try alternative strategies, and reach out to others to help keep us on track. Inventors who make breakthroughs, persevere and either reclaim or recycle failure so it is a learning experience.
Te Heru Māpara is a learning organisation. No one person has all the answers, and the answers we do have are often partial, situational and demanding new solutions. Our staff are committed to a professional development programme that focuses on strengthening understanding of kaupapa Maru concepts and demonstrating them on a daily basis.
It is also about a deep and profound understanding of ako, the concept of being a teacher and learner at various times through our day, week, month and year. Understanding concepts like this can generate a very noticeable difference in how our learners respond to us. We are facilitators.
Tō tātou huarahi
Our approach
Our approach is underpinned by the Maru Ora framework. What does this mean in practice? Listed below are Te Heru Māpara’s goals:
· Live, teach, embody and transmit our Te Heru Māpara values for the ultimate benefit of learners.
Whakarite
Prepare the soil
> Key Stones
> Re-engagement to learning programmes
Whakato
Planting seeds
> Foundation L1
> Foundation L 2
Whakatipu
Rise up
> Further Education or Training
> Employment
Maru Hikuroa—The Maru Ora team
Maru Hikuroa is an exceedingly important innovation. The Maru Hikuroa team that has been established to implement and oversee the application of the Maru Ora framework. This is not merely pastoral care, but includes tikanga, ritenga, all of the Maru Ora framework, to accelerate and strongly incentivise stronger achievement and success for all learners.
This is a major development for Te Heru Māpara because it greatly enhances our current ability to support diverse learners, and is part of the indigenisation work that was always envisioned for Te Heru Māpara.
Critically, Maru Hikuroa will work alongside teaching staff and instructors to provide holistic, wrap-a-round Maru Ora services that will improve the learners experience and
· Always keep our learners and whānau at the centre of everything we do and ensure their improvement and success drives every action, micro-activity, and pedagogical approach.
· Re-connecting our rangatahi back into learning, reaffirming their identity, so they know who they are and how important their journey is to them, their whānau, hapū and iwi.
Empowering our learners to become future leaders of their communities by modelling Te Heru Māpara values and success and support their positive transformations.
· Emphasise balance, physical health, mental health and the importance of self-managing well-being and supporting the well-being of others for collective success.
· Te Heru Māpara supports an incredibly strong aspiration for being innovative, not only in terms of delivery approaches, and ākonga support, but the way Te Heru Māpara staff manage and organise themselves to support innovation and novel kaupapa Maru approaches leading to excellence and long-lasting transformations for uri.
personal development in addition to their study and training. This will be done through a distinctive kaupapa Maru approach which is designed to maximise learner achievement and to improve the capability of our Te Heru Māpara staff.
We believe the Maru Hikuroa team could be a game changer. Such innovations have seldom been attempted because the traditional funding models do not recognise and reward Kaupapa Māori initiatives. We believe that this approach will have significant benefits for all learners as well as our staff, and we are prepared to implement it because we are adamant that general rates of attainment can markedly improve. We unequivocally believe the Maru Hikuroa team will be transformational and will create a massive paradigm shift. We will need ingenuity, and the courage to experiment so ākonga benefit.
The Maru Hikuroa team is a novel and innovative approach. It has not been seen in Taranaki higher education before and has variants in other parts of the motu. What is unique is the holistic approach that maps to the holism of Kaupapa Maru and the Maru Ora Framework developed by Te Kāhui Maru Trust. Maru Hikuroa operationalises the Maru Ora Framework to support learners deeper, better, and for much longer, responding to their needs and aspirations. We firmly believe that the elements, taken together with staff about to embody
and exemplify the Maru Ora framework, will dramatically increase not only academic successs, but produce more resilient learners, will incentivise better learning and creativity, and give ākonga a korowai of aroha that will have many multi-faceted benefits. Its principles are derived from the Maru Ora framework and can be regarded as the operating system of Te Heru Māpara and an operational example of the Maru Ora framework in action.
Below is an example of how the Maru Ora objectives will be applied at Te Heru Māpara and what learners can expect.
Maru Ora Te Heru Māpara
Maru Ora Pou Ngā whainga - Objectives
Maru PAE Implement an individual needs assessment, including goal setting, action plans with the inclusion of whānau.
All whānau will be received by whakatau and whanaungatanga. All whānau will be included in the learners journey.
Maru MURI Identify and remove barriers that impact on their learning experience and look to address them directly. eg, food, housing, well-being, conditions of poverty.
Connect with supporting organisations, iwi and those that can provide support and services to the needs of our learners and whānau.
Maru MURI & Maru TAHA
Ensure all our partners are Tiriti honouring and understand cultural barriers. They will honour our values and ensure our learners have a mana-enhancing experience.
Maru ROTO Ensure our learners develop a knowledge of self and sense of belonging. This may include connection or re-connection with their iwi, hapū or whānau.
Ensure our learners have real time connecting to the Taiao and culture.
Ensure that any delivery to our learners is mana enhancing, engaging and relatable.
Maru MUA Oversee that our learners are developing the tools to success and self-independence.
Maru TAHA Support our learners by connecting them to employers and meaningful employment opportunities.
Maru TIKETIKE Look for and create opportunities to increase the learners currency and skill level
Celebrate their significant milestones and achievements.
Continue to support our learners progress for 24 months post-course completion.
We prioritise learner engagement, recognising that meaningful connections to education lead to deeper understanding and success, putting our uri at the centre of their educational journeys.
