Ministry of Education Statement of Intent 2003-2008: Iwi Education Partnerships

Iwi Education Partnerships

Iwi education partnerships are relationships between the Crown and iwi, or iwi-based organisations. They are established to help improve the education achievement of Mäori children and people connected with the particular iwi, hapu or organisation and/or located within a particular iwi rohe. These relationships create an opportunity for two organisations, that were formerly acting in isolation, to work together to improve Mäori education outcomes.

The approach to working together brings a greater opportunity for iwi to have increased responsibility for designing and implementing solutions in ways which encourage wider inclusion and a sharper focus on learning and teaching. At the core of this work is the central focus on strengthening the role of parents and whanau to help their children in education, through:

• Face-to-face support and advice
• Better information and knowledge about education
• More support for tikanga and te reo Mäori.

The whole Ministry has responsibility for helping to achieve the agreed outcomes and goals for each partnership.

There are currently nine partnerships:

• Te Reo o te Taitokerau
• Tuwharetoa Mäori Trust Board
• Te Runanga o Ngati Porou
• Te Runanga o Turanganui a Kiwa
• Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu
• Tuhoe Education Authority
• Hauraki Mäori Trust Board
• Te Runanga o Te Awa Tupua o Whanganui
• Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua.

The partnership programme provides opportunities to:

• Provide for local initiatives that can help lift Mäori parents' expectations for a better education, while at the same time helping schools to respond more effectively to these new expectations
• Provide for local initiatives that can support schools and other education providers, complementing what is provided nationally, but including a greater understanding of what Mäori see as valuable and important
• Focus on opportunities to lift quality and responsiveness in the mainstream of education where over 80% of Mäori students are enrolled
• Build on successful existing initiatives which have a strong community focus and involvement, ie School Support projects
• Enable a more effective exchange of information between families, parents and the education system within iwi and across different iwi projects through programmes like Te Mana and the Pouwhakataki education liaison service
• Explore opportunities in early childhood education, in tertiary education and in adult and community education
• Build and develop the capability of the Ministry including our awareness and understanding of Mäori issues including our ability to develop policy and implement action plans
• Increase opportunities for whanau and hapu to become more actively involved in learning and reviving te reo Mäori and exploring opportunities where some of this learning can be promoted to help what children are doing at school
• Explore opportunities to build matauranga a iwi in ways which have positive and practical benefits and outcomes for whanau and hapu but within arrangements which ensure knowledge and intellectual property is protected.

Collectively, the iwi partners have three goals:

• To restore the learning culture to iwi
• All iwi (whanau and hapu) members receive a quality of education that enables them to contribute to, and participate in, their iwi and hapu, in New Zealand society and in the global society
• Matauranga a iwi is recognised as a key to raising iwi and Mäori education achievement across the whole education sector.

The iwi partners see their activities as contributing specifically to the Ministry's vital outcomes that:

• Target student achievement: raising expectations; quality teaching; and whanau and community involvement
• Focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the education sector: outcome-focused institutions; a collaborative and responsive education network; promoting the knowledge-base of the sector; and focusing resources on priorities.