Oku Rangi Whakamataara : Striving for Quality in Education
Around 86 secondary schools throughout New Zealand are involved in the Suspension Reduction Initiative (SRI). Overall figures show there has been a drop in the suspension rate of all Maori students by two per 1000 since SRI was introduced.
Thom Kenny believes a new programme focussed on reducing suspensions will help rangatahi achieve their potential by better supporting them and keeping them in school.
The year-old Suspension Reduction Initiative (SRI) involves secondary schools using behaviour management as an alternative to suspension.
As part of the initiative, schools share best practice and work with whānuau and communities to develop suspension reduction plans.
In 2001, Māori students made up nearly half of all school suspensions, despite being just 20 percent of the school population. About 15 Māori students per 1000 are suspended each year. SRI has an annual budget of $2.1 million.
Thom says he wished the initiative was running during his college days. "It would've helped me remain in school instead of being expelled. I can recall my early days at college, they certainly aren't happy memories," he says.
His school lacked an understanding of his - and other's - cultural difference. "The simple but important things taught by my people on the marae were of no consequence to the college authorities," he says.
For example, Thom was caned for sharing food with his cousins during lunchtime when boys and girls were not supposed to mix. "I found it difficult to cope with this. My attitude deteriorated and it led to my early exit - from college life and education."
More than 30 years later Thom enrolled at Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa and completed a Diploma of Atiawa Raukawa Toarangatiratanga and a Bachelor of Mātauranga Māori. He's also completed second and third year papers of a Bachelor of Māori Laws and Philosophy.
At the end of 2001 Thom completed a post graduate Diploma in Māori and Management and completed his Masters Degree of Māori Management last year. This year, at 59, he's thinking about starting a PhD.
As a pouwhakataki, a key part of Thom's approach is supporting rangatahi to remove any barriers preventing their achieving higher education. "I believe the suspension reduction initiative is a positive way to help rangatahi reach their potential and I'm so pleased to have a chance to be involved."
Thom works with thirteen secondary schools in the Wellington to Waikanae area as part of the initiative. He says it's exciting to see Aotea College and their local iwi, Ngāti Toa, in Porirua, finalise their SRI project plan together and be the first in the country to do so.
Their plan identifies ways to improve student responsibility at the college; provide more outlets for students to show ownership; work with non-academic students to improve their performance; and continue developing drug and alcohol counselling for students and parents.
College staff will receive training in peer mediation so they can better support student behaviour, and the school is keen to better involve whānuau in the future development and implementation of their SRI plan.
That's why there's so much potential in this initiative, it's about changing attitudes - the money may run out but the change of attitude will go on, he says.