NZIST is making steps to achieving equity for Māori learners through Te Pae Tawhiti, NZIST’s new Te Tiriti o Waitangi excellence framework.
NZIST has a statutory requirement to achieve equity for Māori learners. This is outlined clearly in our Charter, and we have a strong focus towards our commitment under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. To help us make swift progress, a new excellence framework is currently being finalised.
The framework has been built off the findings from the Ministry of Education’s Kōrero Mātauranga, where Māori, hapū and iwi told the Government was needed for Māori education.
Te Pae Tawhiti will support NZIST’s collective duties to ensure the governance, management and operations of the organisation give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, recognise that Māori are key actors in regional, social, environmental, and economic development, and respond to the needs of and improve outcomes for Māori ākonga, whānau, hapū and employers.
“We know it is not Māori learners or communities that need to change to fit with us; rather it is our responsibility to ensure our services improve for the betterment of Māori,“ says William Workman, Kaitohutohu Matua for NZIST
“Undertaking this work involves embedding our framework into all our activities. Its primary focus is on improving present actions so as to see a difference in 2021.
“NZIST has very clearly signalled that equity and working in partnership with Māori are absolutely central to success.”
This mahi does not replace existing initiatives designed to uphold Te Tiriti commitments to iwi and hapū partners or Ngāi Māori. NZIST’s Council recognises that [for now] our subsidiaries are best placed to respond to meet the needs and aspirations of the diverse Māori communities served across our network.
The Partnerships and Equity team from NZIST will be headed by DCE Ana Morrison, when she starts later in October. The team will engage with each of the subsidiaries to share Te Pae Tawhiti with a broader audience, and we will kōrero with regional Te Tiriti partners over the next few months to partner in the framework’s ongoing development.