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The change required to achieve this strategy

Contributing to the achievement of Māori development aspirations requires the tertiary education sector to work in partnership with Māori, whānau, hapū and iwi to improve the success of Māori students, be more responsive to diverse Māori realities and make an active contribution to Māori, whānau, hapū and iwi development. The importance of this strategy is reinforced in the key changes, particularly developing effective partnership arrangements with Māori communities.

In 2001, the Hui Taumata Mātauranga endorsed three goals for Māori education, advanced by Professor Mason Durie:

• to live as Māori
• to actively participate as citizens of the world
• to enjoy a high standard of living and good health.

The success of this strategy needs to be assessed in terms of all three of these dimensions.

While the contribution to Māori development is specifically addressed by this strategy, it is expected other strategies in the TES will also contribute to progress towards achieving the goals of this strategy.

This strategy places particular emphasis on increased participation of Māori in a broader range of subjects and at higher levels, further development of quality provision in te ao Māori, te reo Māori and kaupapa Māori, and on building management and staff capability within TEOs.

Progress to 2005/06

Most TEOs had change-focused objectives relating to this strategy in their 2005/07 and 2006/08 profiles. This pattern was consistent across sub-sectors. The two theme areas most commonly covered in profile objectives were ‘participation and achievement at higher levels’ and ‘contributing to Māori development’.

Percentage of TEOs with change-focused objectives relating to ‘Te Rautaki Mātauranga Māori’ in profiles 2005/07–2006/08

Māori participation at diploma and postgraduate levels continues to increase. Māori enrolments at bachelors level have declined faster than the overall decrease in enrolments at this level in 2005. Retention rates are improving for Māori students across most levels, but are still lower than those of other students. Direct progression across postgraduate degrees has also improved, particularly from masters degrees to doctorates.

Te ao Māori and te reo Māori provision has decreased, as numbers have decreased in wānanga. This may represent some clearing of the ‘waiting list’ of people who were prospective students for the wānanga type of provision in this area. Recent publicity about difficulties at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa will also have had an impact on the 2005 student numbers. However, there is little sign of increased numbers of students in enrolling in these kinds of courses in other sub-sectors.

There has been steady growth in enrolments for bilingual and immersion teaching in early childhood education, as the new quality requirements for early childhood education are introduced. Enrolments in school-related bilingual and immersion teaching qualifications are falling.

Overall numbers at wānanga have fallen, reflecting fewer students at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. While certificate-level enrolments have fallen from historic highs, the number of masters students at wānanga doubled from 2004 to 2005. Wānanga continue to achieve better retention rates for Māori students below degree level than other sub-sectors.

The number of Māori students in Māori PTEs has been static, while Māori enrolments in the PTE sub-sector have increased overall.

A number of TEIs and ITOs are developing kaupapa Māori delivery within their organisations. In many cases, this involves developing qualifications with a kaupapa Māori focus. Some are also developing kaupapa Māori-based centres of learning within their organisation.

TEOs are continuing to strengthen their relationships with iwi and Māori. The analysis of profiles shows a shift from process objectives to more objectives with an outcome focus from 2005/07 to 2006/08. Māori and iwi groups view tertiary education as vital to achievement of their economic and social goals, but continue to have mixed experience of engagement with providers.

Analysis of profiles shows limited attention to support and recruitment of Māori staff within TEO objectives.

Key challenges for moving forward

From the analysis of progress to date, the following key challenges for moving forward to achieve this strategy are evident:

• increasing Māori participation, and success, at bachelors level and ensuring that there is not a ‘glass ceiling’ between sub-degree and degree studies
• increasing participation in te reo Māori courses at higher levels of study and increasing the supply of Māori bilingual and immersion teachers
• assisting Māori providers to move into a broader range of provision and not be so reliant on targeted training funds
• TEOs building outcome-focused engagement with iwi and Māori that explicitly contributes to development aspirations
• giving greater attention to recruitment and support of Māori staff.

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• Table of Contents

• The State of Play

• 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