10 Platforms for Maori Educational Advancement

The two Hui Taumata Mätauranga, held in February and again in November, have drawn attention to the aspirations of Mäori for a more effective education system. As a result of the discussions it has been possible to identify at least five platforms from which Mäori educational advancement might be accelerated.

Educational Policies

The first platform is about educational policies of the state. Mäori education policies should aim to equip Mäori children and rangatahi to be citizens of the world, to live as Mäori, and to enjoy a high standard of living. Those three goals, discussed in February, characterise the broad direction that educational policies should take if they are to be responsive to Mäori. Deliberations over the past months have shown that by bringing together the several programmes and strategies already in place within the education sector, it has been possible to align many of the recommendations from the February Hui with current education policy. But there remain some reservations about the process for Mäori input into policy development and the basis for Mäori educational policy. When can gains be made by `adding on' a Mäori component, and when are specific Mäori policies required? Will a national tertiary education strategy for example meet Mäori needs or should a Mäori-centred tertiary strategy be constructed? The TEAC recommendation that entry to tertiary education should depend entirely on educational attainment at secondary school may make sense for some populations but it is quite out of step with Mäori realities. Until the poor performance of schools in relationship to Mäori educational outcomes - one in three Mäori still leave school with no qualification - is corrected, then the removal of second chance provisions will simply compound the situation. That is one reason why a Mäori centred policy is needed alongside the national policy.

Mäori-centred policies and programmes do not always meet with popular or political approval, and are sometimes cast as divisive. In fact, in so far as they are about improving educational attainment, the opposite is true - they are more about reducing inequities than creating them.

But most important, educational policies for Mäori need to be outcome focussed - policies should be about achieving the best possible results, and Mäori educational ambitions should be linked to those policies and programmes that can produce results. Too much time is spent trying to fix up systems that will never deliver to Mäori rather than identifying systems where Mäori can flourish and, then, developing partnerships with them.

Social and Economic Policies

Second, while educational policies will be critical, broader social and economic policies will have equal or even greater import for Mäori education. The positive and negative contributions made by other sectors to the success of Mäori children at school is often masked, but needs to be unmasked. How does transport policy affect Mäori education? Is there a link between paid parental leave and educational success? What educational consequences can be expected from the reduction of waiting times for the insertion of grommets? In this respect Mäori education impact assessment is a relatively urgent requirement. And regardless of the Crown's initiatives, the establishment of a Mäori capacity for integrated economic and social policy and planning will be critical for the next phase of Mäori development, otherwise Mäori initiative will be forever constrained by a sectoral approach to development that will do little justice to the breadth of Mäori aspirations.

Ongoing Maori-Crown Relationship

A third platform hinges on the nature of the relationship between Mäori and the Crown. The Hui Taumata Mätauranga have revealed some of the benefits of a relationship where the underlying framework is accepted by both parties and strengthened by a high level of goodwill. However, notwithstanding the areas of agreement, much remains to be done and it is important that the process started earlier this year be continued, so that new policies can be formulated to address issues that do not yet receive adequate attention. As part of that process consideration needs to be given to the composition of the parties who will spearhead the discussions, allowing for continuity, and recognising the positive relationship that has so far been established. Both Ministers of Education have been critical to the process and their time, energy, and goodwill has complemented the efforts of the Mäori partner.

Maori Synergy

Fourth, while a sound working relationship between Mäori and the Crown is important, of equal if not greater importance is the harmonisation of relationships between Mäori groups who have an interest in educational success and indeed who have a commitment to Mäori development on a wider scale. Because there is no established forum for that purpose the need is no less, but it will require active promotion, opportunities for meeting together, a readiness to endorse the strengths of others but also to identify the commonalities, and a desire to move towards a position that will advantage all Mäori. Despite media portrayal to the contrary, Mäori consensus on the major issues is substantial. But without a regular forum, similar to the Hui Taumata Mätauranga, there is the risk of piecemeal effort, fragmentation, narrowed vision, good outcomes for some and poor outcomes for others. Collective Mäori strategies for education have the capacity to re-shape expectations. If for example there were collective intolerance of educational failure, backed up by a decision to shun those institutions and programmes that did not achieve best results for Mäori, change would occur.

To that end the most vibrant platform for Mäori educational reform may not lie with the state, but with Mäori, working towards the fulfillment of a range of objectives while committed to collective goals and the harnessing of collective energies.

Leadership

The fifth platform is related to the fourth and concerns leadership. Mäori education requires leadership within the classroom, the community and into the wider corridors of Mäori development. Iwi must be prepared to develop educational strategies that are consistent with their other goals and which seek the best returns for their children. If the same energy that has gone into fishing were diverted to education, then results could be stunning.

At the same time, education is not in itself an endpoint. Mäori advancement is a wider aim and leadership must be able to paint the broader vision while at the same time signposting the roads that will lead there. If the Hui Taumata Mätauranga have demonstrated a single point it is that the potential for Mäori leadership in education is high. While the full force of synergised Mäori energies has yet to be realised, the two Hui have shown an extraordinarily high measure of Mäori consensus and agreement as to the broad directions.

Mäori who are involved more directly in education have played decisive roles in guiding the sector, and will continue to do so. Similarly, as already mentioned, there is a frank obligation on iwi and Mäori community organisations to ensure that educational strategies form part of their portfolios.

But there is an additional element to leadership that goes beyond sectors, and across iwi, and professions, and political interests. Such leadership is rare but those who have attended the Hui Taumata Mätauranga will have noted the key roles played by Ngäti Tuwharetoa and the wise and committed leadership from the Paramountcy. Leadership that seeks to make the best of diverse views by weaving the several strands together in order to create a whäriki for future generations of all Mäori, is inspirational. And because of that type of leadership the significance of the Hui Taumata Mätauranga will be felt across the country, and across generations, for some time to come.

Ngäti Tuwharetoa, tëna koutou.

Professor Mason H Durie

Te Pütahi a Toi

School of Mäori Studies

Massey University

November 2001

Table 2 Platforms for Mäori Educational Advancement