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The expected change – 2002 to 2007

Pasifika peoples are a significant part of the New Zealand population and New Zealand is also a significant part of the South Pacific region. New Zealand tertiary education has an important role to play in Pacific development and success, both in New Zealand and internationally.

The government’s Pasifika Education Plan aims to increase Pasifika achievement in all areas of education. The focus in tertiary education is on increasing participation and achievement, improving retention and encouraging higher levels of study. The plan sets out the following goals:

• significantly increasing Pasifika students’ participation in tertiary education at all levels
• significantly improving Pasifika students’ achievement in tertiary education - closing the gaps with non-Pasifika students completely in 20 years
• significantly increasing opportunities for Pasifika adults to access adult education and community learning, and specific adult literacy programmes over the next five years.

Short-term targets were also set to measure progress in achieving those goals:

• Pasifika peoples making up 5.3 percent of TEI students by 2002, 6.0 percent of TEI students by 2004, and 6.6 percent of TEI students by 2006
• the number of Pasifika peoples graduating at diploma level and above increasing every year, resulting in 5.0 percent of total graduates being Pasifika peoples by 2002, 5.6 percent by 2004 and 6.2 percent by 2006.

This strategy builds on the Pasifika Education Plan and provides a broader focus on education for Pacific development.

It is expected that the tertiary education system will have a much greater focus on the skills that Pasifika peoples need for their development, both in New Zealand and the wider Pacific. This requires a better understanding of the current and future skills and knowledge requirements, as well as specific plans as to how these can be met.

Pasifika learners need to be much better informed about study and career options and how they can acquire the skills and knowledge that will be of benefit to the development of their communities, as well as for their own success.

It is expected that the tertiary education sector will become more connected with, and accountable to, Pasifika communities. Pasifika communities will take a greater role in supporting the delivery of tertiary education and have a greater say in how tertiary education can contribute to their development aspirations. TEOs need to take a much more active role in contributing to the development aspirations of Pasifika communities, in New Zealand and the Pacific. This contribution will be through research, as well as education.

There is a need to improve the capability and capacity of Pasifika for Pasifika education services. These include Pasifika PTEs, community education services and services within ‘mainstream’ organisations. These services have a particular role to play in supporting Pasifika education and retaining and developing Pasifika knowledge. These services also provide a means of staircasing Pasifika learners into higher studies, particularly for adult learners and those who left school with little or no qualifications.

It is expected that there will be an increased proportion of Pasifika staff at all levels of decision-making in the tertiary education system. This includes teaching, as well as administrative and management positions. It is particularly important that there is Pasifika representation at the higher levels of decision-making within TEOs to ensure that the needs of Pasifika students and communities are taken into account. There is a need to increase the proportion of Pasifika teaching staff and provide them with appropriate support and development.

The baseline picture in 2002

There has been increased participation by Pasifika domestic students over the last six years, both in total numbers and as a proportion of all students. However, taking account of the age distribution in the Pasifika population, Pasifika participation rates are still the lowest of any ethnic group. Pasifika participation rates are particularly low in the under 25 age group.

The Pasifika Education Plan targets for Pasifika participation and graduation were not fully met in 2002. Pasifika students made up 4.0 percent ¹ of enrolments in TEIs, short of the target of 5.3 percent. While Pasifika graduations at diploma level and above have increased each year, Pasifika students made up 4.0 percent of all tertiary graduates, short of the target of 5.0 percent.

Pasifika students had a similar spread of participation across degree and sub-degree qualifications to non-Pasifika students in 2002. As with other groups, there has been substantial growth in numbers enrolling in qualifications below degree level. Pasifika students were still significantly under-represented in postgraduate studies.

Pasifika trainees were represented in industry training at a similar level to their representation in the workforce. However, they were more concentrated in some industries. Pasifika people were significantly under-represented in Modern Apprenticeships.

In 2002, there were just over 1,300 Pasifika international students studying at tertiary level in New Zealand. The largest numbers were from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Most were aged under 30 years and about half were studying at degree level and above.

Completion of below degree level qualifications by Pasifika students has grown faster than completions of degree-level qualifications. Completion of postgraduate qualifications decreased from 2000 to 2002. This data reinforces concerns about completion rates of Pasifika students at degree and postgraduate levels.

There was a small Pasifika PTE sector, with 33 registered providers identifying as Pasifika providers. NZQA audit results indicated that these providers needed support to build their capability. In 2003, the NZQA was providing active support to around half of them.

Pasifika people are significantly under-represented among teaching staff in TEOs. The 2001 Census data indicates that about 1.5 percent of tertiary teaching staff are Pasifika. Pasifika staff report significant workload issues, as they are required to provide support and mentoring for students and maintain connections with Pasifika communities, as well as teaching and/or research. TEOs often do not recognise all the requirements put on Pasifika staff. There is a need for TEOs to provide greater support for their existing Pasifika staff, as well as improve recruitment, retention and promotion.

Further development of monitoring

An immediate priority for the next stage of monitoring is to develop information on the completion rates of courses and qualifications.

Future monitoring will have a greater focus on the actions taken by TEOs to contribute to Pacific development. This includes identifying skill and knowledge requirements, collaboration with Pasifika communities and specific contributions to Pacific development in New Zealand and internationally.

One source of information for this area will be charters and profiles. It will need to be triangulated with perspectives from Pasifika communities on the level and appropriateness of TEO engagement.

Monitoring will also need to look at the information and support provided to Pasifika students and, in particular, the accuracy, relevance and quality of information and support for decision-making about study and careers.

More information will need to be developed on Pasifika for Pasifika education services, particularly in community education and within ‘mainstream’ organisations. This information will need to focus on what is being provided by these services, as well as on issues of capacity and capability.

TEO actions to support existing Pasifika staff and improve recruitment, retention and promotion will also be part of future monitoring. This will need to be supplemented with information from Pasifika staff themselves about issues such as workload, expectations and professional development.

As monitoring progresses, it will develop a greater focus on the contribution of tertiary education to Pacific development in New Zealand and internationally. This will include looking at the links being developed between New Zealand TEOs and Pacific nations and tertiary providers. It will also mean taking a more international perspective of Pasifika participation in tertiary education.

¹ These figures exclude international students and used the prioritisation approach to ethnicity, which was the standard at the time the Plan was agreed. (↑)

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• Table of Contents

• The Baseline Picture

• Cross Strategy Indicators

• Raise foundation skills

• Skills for our knowledge society

• Strengthen research and knowledge creation

• Te rautaki mātauranga Māori

• Pacific people’s development and success

• Capability and quality

• Technical and Data Definitions