Māori Affairs and Associate Education Minister Pita Sharples will speak to Māori Educators in Rotorua as the opening keynote at He Waka Eke Noa on July 15.
He Waka Eke Noa is a national wānanga for Māori Educators from early childhood to University, being run by CORE Education and supported by the Ministry of Education.
The Minister’s speech comes weeks after he called for Māori to have open entry to University. Dr Sharples voiced concerns over the low progression Maori have from school to tertiary education.
"I want to talk about addressing this issue by elevating matauranga Māori within Maori education," Dr Sharples said when accepting his invitation to speak.
"Perhaps we need to consolidate our efforts and funding in support of kaupapa Māori, right through areas like teacher education, curriculum and resource development, and assessment - both of students, and of schools," he said.
Programme organiser Hemi Waerea said Dr Sharples was a passionate speaker about education and would be a highlight of the wānanga.
“He Waka Eke Noa is a great forum for Māori Educators to hear and discuss these views,” Mr Waerea said.
In 1990 Dr Sharples was awarded a CBE for his service to Education in New Zealand.
He pioneered the development of Kohanga Reo throughout New Zealand, founded the first Kura Kaupapa Māori at Hoani Waititi Marae in 1985, was the Inaugural Chairperson of Te Runanga Kura Kaupapa Maori O Aotearoa and Te Roopu Whaiti (Māori Education Authority). He has established numerous Student Support Programmes & Policies in Education thought New Zealand.
He is currently a member of the Mayors’ Taskforce on Tertiary Education for Waitakere City.
The closing keynote speaker is Keriana Tawhiwhirangi, an educational and leadership consultant. She has extensive experience in education, previously working as the programme director of the Principals’ Development Planning Centre. She has also taught in rural, urban, general stream, immersion and special education settings.
She has held middle and senior management positions, worked as a Leadership & Management Adviser with Waikato University, and has had positions as school principal.
Her iwi affiliations are Ngati Porou, Hauiti, Ngai Tamanuhiri, Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine and Nga Puhi.
Other highlights include workshops by:
Deanne Thomas
Kōtaretū Ltd (Regional Coordinator Te Marautanga o Aotearoa - CORE Education Ltd)
'A Take on De Bono's Hats'
Kara Cribb
Ministry of Education
'Māori Education Strategy for Te Reo Māori from the Ministry's Titiro'
Dr Rangi Mātaamua
Massey University
'Te Reo Māori in 2020'
Hēmi Waerea & Kiritina Johnstone
CORE Education Ltd & Ministry of Education
'Realign your charter, your annual targets, your curriculum to the tamaiti'
He Waka Eke Noa will be held at the Rotorua Convention Centre, Fenton Street, Rotorua on 15-17 July. For more information and to register online go to www.hwen.org.nz.
Teachers can also register by texting or phoning their details (name/organisation/email) to Hēmi Waerea on 021 906 638, or emailing hemi@core-ed.net
