Education project puts Maori students’ needs first

By Karina Abadía

Low Maori participation in tertiary education has sparked an initiative to help Maori get into Auckland polytechnics, universities and wananga.

Maori Into Tertiary Education (MITE) project leader Maria Paenga says the ‘Pathwaying’ project will address a gap in Maori education that has always been there.

“When you have a helicopter view of Maori education in Auckland, it’s at crisis.” Less than 12 per cent of young Maori got university entrance last year, says Paenga.

The project was launched at an education summit in Auckland attended by tertiary educators, industry experts and government representatives.

MITE is the largest collaborative tertiary project in New Zealand working with seven tertiary providers; MIT, Unitec, Te Wananga O Aotearoa, Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi, AUT University, University of Auckland and Massey University.

Paenga says trying to find a pathway into tertiary education has always been difficult as there are more than 6000 programme choices just among the seven providers.

“When you understand the context, no wonder it’s hard for students to find what they want to do.”

Under ‘study pathways’ on the MITE website, people can compare the different courses the providers offer.

People without secondary school qualifications can find institutions offering pre-degree courses which may be requirements for enrolling at university. 

And students who have some qualifications can use the pathways to find out how to transition through to other institutions for higher learning options, says Paenga.

“Our project puts the student at the centre, so they can navigate the landscape of Auckland tertiary providers.”

Initial feedback has been very positive, but the next step will be evaluating the system with a bigger cohort of people, says Paenga.

Once Maori have graduated, coordinator Debbie Terei helps them find jobs and provides ongoing pastoral care for the graduate and employer through the MITE ‘Pipeline project’.

Terei has noticed a change in corporate attitudes towards employing Maori staff.

“The corporations have realised that Maori in business have become stronger and in order to do business with Maori you need to understand them.

“Their business etiquette, techniques, the way they do things is different to Pakeha,” says Terei.

She takes groups of graduates to meet corporates at the Maori Business Strategy hui, organised every two months by the private organisation Committee for Auckland.

Terei says Maori graduates with good grades, a high level of te reo and an understanding of tikanga, Maori customs and traditions, are highly sought after by corporations.

Accountancy firm Deloittes sees the benefit of having staff that represent the ethnic background of its clients.

Terei’s partner Leon Wijohn regularly attends the Maori Business Strategy hui and says “businesses are moving towards being more culturally aware”.

Wijohn leads the Maori Business sector team at Deloitte and says a number of accountancy firms and banks are upskilling and training staff in issues relating to the Treaty of Waitangi and tikanga.

“We are working with lots of Maori clients and it helps to have Maori staff who understand the issues these clients face.”

The Maori economy is growing for such reasons as advancements in Treaty claims, the large number of Maori starting their own businesses and the growth of the Maori population, says Wijohn.

Paenga says while MITE is fulfilling a need, she hopes it will diminish in importance.

“Institutes need to change what they are doing and I hope in five years we won’t exist because Maori participation and success will be up and providers will be working together.”

Te Wananga O Aotearoa hopes to eventually replicate MITE nationally and think it could also cater to other audiences such as Pasifika or Pakeha people.

“These are not Maori specific problems. We’re finding the solutions underneath the Maori project but it’s a model for the whole of New Zealand,” says Paenga.

For more information, visit www.mite.org.nz