NMIT aiming to lift iwi relations
A Marlborough boy has ‘ come home’ to the top of the south to help improve education for Ma¯ori tertiary students.
The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) has appointed Andrew Luke, also known as ‘Anaru’, as a new director to improve Ma¯ori achievement rates and build its relationship with local iwi.
Luke, who was most recently working with the Ministry for the Environment and Department of Conservation in Wellington, grew up in Blenheim and says he’s excited about his new position.
‘‘Amongst other things, education is a big portfolio within iwi circles, education in general along with health, so yeah, it is a big role,’’ he said.
He said when it came to education, Ma¯ori and Pasifika students achievement rates tended to be lower and his role was to improve the ‘‘stats’’ at NMIT.
Luke would focus on ensuring Ma¯ori students were enrolled in courses that were the right fit for them.
‘‘Ensuring they’re achieving in whatever subject area they’re in and they’re on the pathway they should be on, need to be on, would like to be on, and they’re not just doing the programme for the sake of doing the programme.’’
He would also be looking at the future of work, particularly regarding automation and artificial intelligence, and the impact of that on both Ma¯ori and nonMa¯ori students.
The other key part of his role would be building stronger relationships with the eight iwi in Nelson Marlborough.
‘‘This is an institution that has eight iwi who, in a post-settlement era, are looking at what are opportunities or aspirations they have, and where NMIT might be able to help them achieve those aspirations.’’
He said iwi were in a ‘‘different space’’ to 10 years ago when they were still grappling with Treaty of Waitangi claims, and were now in a position to move forward.
Both NMIT and local iwi could benefit from a strong working relationship.
Luke was still getting to grips with the education sector, and inner-workings of NMIT, given his background was with the Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Conservation.
But his experience working with wha¯nau, hapu¯, and iwi across the country would help him with his role in Nelson, and there were cross-overs between education and management of natural resources.
Luke also holds a governance role for Marlborough iwi Nga¯ti Ra¯rua.
NMIT interim chief executive Liam Sloan said he was confident that with Luke’s leadership, NMIT would continue to improve its success rate for Ma¯ori students.
He said there was already a ‘‘happy relationship’’ with iwi, but NMIT wanted to move towards a greater level of partnership.
NMIT had seen a great increase in the number of students enrolled in te reo Ma¯ori classes that had been ‘‘well above expectations’’ and there had been ‘‘phenomenal’’ engagement from the Ma¯ori community around that.