Planting New Seeds: Waikato University's Dean of Education Professor Alister Jones (left) and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi CEO Distinguished Professor Graham Smith.
Waikato University’s Faculty of Education and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatane have signed a $7 million contract to deliver over 3 years a new professional leadership programme to New Zealand secondary and area schools, and wharekura.
He Kakano is being funded by the Ministry of Education. The professional development project, which was launched on September 28, will support leaders in 100 secondary and area schools to become culturally responsive in their leadership – leadership that actively takes account of the identity, language and culture of Māori learners to build meaningful relationships that result in educational success.
He Kakano will be delivered through a combination of in-school sessions and outside workshops and covers seven areas that need addressing to enable schools, specifically teachers to be more effective in meeting the learning needs of Māori students.
In addition to a range of professional leadership competencies it works to help schools understand the profile of their Māori students’ learning; set targets for improvement in performance for and with Māori learners; and build relationships and networks with whanau, hapu and iwi to support improvements around leadership, teaching and learning.
University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford says, “We hope He Kakano will give schools greater knowledge and confidence to raise Māori learners’ achievement.”
Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi CEO Distinguished Professor Graham Smith says his organisation is looking forward to working with the University of Waikato on this important project.
“We are delighted to be involved in this project. We are particularly excited about the collaboration between ourselves as a Whare Wānanga and the University of Waikato. We are also excited about the opportunity to be working in a partnership based on the principles of equal responsibility, accountability and benefit sharing.”
Ministry of Education Deputy Secretary Apryll Parata says He Kakano was developed to help give secondary leaders practical help, using a potential orientation, to raise achievement among Māori students.
“He Kakano is a direct response to the priorities of the government’s Māori education Strategy, Ka Hikitia-Managing for Success. In particular, to increase responsive and accountable leadership that addresses the needs of Māori learners so that each Māori learner has the opportunity to reach their full potential and be educationally successful as Māori.
“I want to congratulate the partnership between Waikato University and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatane. It’s the first step in a new and exciting programme that will improve professional leadership in secondary schools leading to positive outcomes for and with Māori learners.”
The funding for He Kakano runs until December 2012. Some work is already underway and the final list of schools involved is now being finalised.