Govt seeks nominations for vocational education group from Māori community

“We have also heard that the education system, and the vocational education and training system, in particular, has not served Māori learners and communities well and does not respond to their needs.”

The Government is seeking nominations for Te Taumata Aronui, a group which will help develop tertiary education, including the reform of vocational education, from Māori community and employer perspectives, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today.

“We have heard through engagement and consultation on the Reform of Vocational Education and in the wider Education Conversation | Kōrero Mātauranga that Māori wants to be involved in the Crown’s work to re-design our education system so it works better for Māori,” Chris Hipkins said.

“We have also heard that the education system, and the vocational education and training system, in particular, has not served Māori learners and communities well and does not respond to their needs.”

The new group was announced as part of the vocational education reform decisions released on 1 August. It will work with and provide independent recommendations and advice to Ministers and officials on how tertiary education can respond better to the needs of Māori learners and communities was announced.

“This is an opportunity for Māori and the Crown to work more closely on changes to the tertiary education system. This will also help to better recognize the needs of Māori communities and acknowledge that Māori is significant employers with social and economic goals,” Chris Hipkins said.

The working name of this group is Te Taumata Aronui.

“The initial focus of Te Taumata Aronui will be on the reform of vocational education as it is important that we get it right for Māori when we design the new vocational education system and its key organizations. This group will help ensure the reforms reflect the Government’s commitment to Māori Crown partnerships.”

The Government is looking for around 8-10 people with a mix of skills, knowledge of and experience in working collaboratively with and providing a perspective of:

Māori learners, whānau and iwi

Māori social and economic development

Māori industry, education, and employment, and

mātauranga Māori.

It will also be important that the mix of skills, knowledge, and experience also includes:

Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implications for government policy

improving outcomes for learners and whānauworking collaboratively generally

government policy and associated processes, and

the tertiary education system, including its interface with the schooling sector and vocational education.

Nominations are sought from across Aotearoa, from all ages and genders.

Nominations for the Chair or group members should be sent to the Ministry of Education at Tertiary.Strategy@education.govt.nz by 6 September 2019. People can nominate themselves and/or others.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)