‘A new benchmark’
Tauranga Moana iwi break ‘new ground’ with curriculum for 67 schools
Plans for a local te ao Ma¯ori curriculum have been hailed as setting a “new benchmark”. Tauranga Moana iwi are developing a localised te ao Ma¯ ori curriculum for Tauranga schools, early childhood education centres and the wider community.
The project, called Te Tai Whanake ki Tauranga Moana, will encompass foundational te reo Ma¯ ori, local tikanga, stories and history, and be a resource for all educational organisations in Tauranga, as well as being accessible to the wider community in the future.
The Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust, which has put funding towards the plan, said the curriculum was for 67 Tauranga schools, early childhood centres and the wider community.
It is being developed by Tauranga Moana iwi Nga¯ti Pukenga, Nga¯ti Ranginui and Nga¯i Te Rangi, along with Ka¯hui Ako (Communities of Learning).
Nga¯ ti Ranginui education manager Toni Heke-ririnui said the project was “uniquely Tauranga Moana” and signalled the first time the three iwi had been brought together with one goal in mind.
“Iwi are working together for the betterment of all iwi and to help feed into the community a greater understanding of who we are.”
She said a local curriculum was important “to understand where you are, to understand the stories of the people that you’re with and to have empathy for the history that has been in this area”.
The project is in stage one, with the preparation of the scope of work, project action plan, and Memorandums of Understanding.
In May, the project will move to stage two, where the curriculum will be developed and built based on consultation with the local Ma¯ori community, their hapu¯ and marae.
Heke-ririnui said developing the project would take time.
“We want it to be the best it can be and we’re not in the space where we want to rush it. We’re still in consultation with iwi members, our people, our hapu¯.”
Nga¯i Te Rangi education manager Arohanoa Mathews said the programme would normalise Tauranga Moana iwi narratives and histories in classrooms and it was important this was iwi-led.
“It’s putting our iwi names on the map of education.
“We’ve never had a seat at the table in the educational space whereby iwi are valued as an integral part of the process or in a leading role and not just an add-on. It’s building capability and capacity to be long term and sustainable.
“We’ve heard about deficits for so long . . . We want to flip that upside down and build on aspirations by our people, for our people.”
Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said the project was a “significant development” in terms of localised curricula.
“[It] sets a new benchmark for how communities can work together to respond to local needs,” he said.
“This is true partnership in action . . . [Iwi] have broken new ground and are using this to reset the stories related to Tauranga Moana.
“This kaupapa highlights the importance of relationships and relevant curriculum, and recognises that local communities know what’s best for local communities.”
As well as Mathews and Hekeririnui, the Te Tai Whanake ki Tauranga Moana Kaitiaki Group includes Tauranga Peninsula Ka¯hui Ako lead Ken Ward, Otepou School principal and education manager ¯for Nga¯ti Pukenga Iwi Reg Blake, Otu¯moetai Ka¯hui Ako lead and O¯ tu¯moetai Intermediate principal Henk Popping and Ministry of Education manager for Western Bay Vianney Douglas.
Blake said it was an amazing feeling to be sitting at the table with Tauranga Moana iwi.
“It’s not that we don’t come together as one but this opportunity provides that for us . . . It opens the doors to other kaupapa, to other topics as well.