16 minute read
Part 4 – Our work on Māori educational achievement during the next five years
4.1 In this report, we have brought together a picture of the history of Māori educational policy and of recent Māori educational achievement using statistics, research, and advice from our Advisory Group. From this information, we have framed some questions that seem important and prepared a simple framework to identify the focus of our audit work during the next five years. One hundred and thirty years plus of formal schooling under the shadow of colonialism has left a legacy that cannot be reversed overnight.
Professor Wally Penetito
Advertisement
4.2 We have decided on the topic for the first year of our programme of audit work on this subject (see paragraphs 4.7 and 4.8). To determine and shape the next four years of the programme, we will work with Parliament, the relevant public entities, our Advisory Group, and other interested parties.
Overall focus for our five-year programme of audit work 4.3 The overarching question that our programme of audit work will focus on during the next five years is: How well does the education system currently support Māori students to achieve their full potential and contribute to the future prosperity of New Zealand?
4.4 We intend to concentrate on English-medium primary and secondary schools, because they are where most Māori students receive their education. We have not ruled out looking at kura kaupapa Māori later in our programme of audit work. We may also consider audit work on aspects of tertiary education and the transition from secondary to tertiary education, training, or first employment.
4.5 We will ask several supplementary questions to help answer the overarching question. These questions include: t Is the strategy for raising Māori educational achievement (Ka Hikitia) being effectively implemented in schools? – How effectively is the strategy communicated to schools and other stakeholders? – Is there an understanding of and co-ordinated approach to implementing the strategy? – Are qualitative and quantifiable benefits being delivered as a result of Ka Hikitia? – What has been the difference in the experience of Māori students? – Are the changes being made likely to be sustainable? – Is good practice being shared throughout the schools sector?
t
t
t
t Is educational achievement appropriately monitored and acted on? – Is the data meaningful and reliable? – How is data used to focus resources, share learning, and influence decisionmaking? – What does the data indicate about success? – Is good practice being shared and, if so, what is the effect? Are resources (funding and other) delivering effective results and providing value for money? – What funding is committed to this area, including specifically targeted funds? – What is the total cost to the taxpayer? – How are schools and other agencies using the funding? – Is there effective evaluation of results and success factors? – Has the investment provided a tangible return in either raising achievement or providing a platform for further achievement? – What would be the potential cost to New Zealand of not delivering successful outcomes? – Is good practice being shared throughout the sector? Are effective partnerships used to enhance Māori students’ achievement? – Are education agencies, including schools, working effectively and collaboratively? – Do schools actively seek out involvement from whānau, and are whānau actively engaged and involved in their children’s learning? – Is there effective collaboration between schools, iwi, and other community stakeholders? – Has collaboration resulted in greater understanding between education agencies, schools, iwi, whānau, and other community stakeholders, and contributed to raising achievement? – Is good practice being shared throughout the sector? What has been the effect of specific initiatives in improving Māori educational achievement? – Te Kotahitanga (see Appendix 3); – Student Achievement Function (see Appendix 3); – Youth Guarantee programmes (see Appendix 3); – He Kākano (professional learning and development, see Appendix 3); and – initiatives in tertiary education institutions.
Framework guiding our programme of audit work 4.6 We have used five aspects of the education system that relate to these questions to form a framework to guide our work. This framework is explained in Figure 9 and covers: t implementation; t resources; t partnerships; t good practices; and t results.
Figure 9 Framework guiding our five-year programme of audit work on Māori educational achievement
Aspect of system Explanation
Implementation The current policy/strategic basis is Ka Hikitia. Implementing Ka Hikitia is the joint responsibility of the central educational agencies and schools. We expect a framework and plan for implementation to flow from the Ministry to schools and that appropriate strategies, processes, and practices are in all schools. Specific programmes and initiatives should be effective in improving outcomes for Māori.
Resources To implement Ka Hikitia, the funding and capability needs to be well targeted and applied efficiently. Rather than focusing on new funding and new initiatives, we will focus any work in this area on the total funding that central educational agencies and schools apply to education. We also know from the research to date that teacher-student relationships and teachers’ ability to be culturally responsive is important. Any future work in this area will need to consider the assessment of teacher capability.
Partnerships Ka Hikitia is underpinned by the partnership between Māori and the Crown. This aspect is particularly important in enriching the cultural awareness of, and capability in, the sector. Partnerships between teachers, schools, whānau, iwi, and the community are important.
Good practices There are about 2500 state and state-integrated schools, each with their own ideas and practices. It makes good sense to share ideas and practices that work.
Results In any system, results need to be meaningful, reliable, monitored, and – most importantly – acted on. We will look at whether results are effectively and reliably reported and whether student achievement is being raised.
Our first audit topic: Implementation of Ka Hikitia 4.7 Our first audit, which we will complete in 2012/13, focuses on the implementation of Ka Hikitia: Ka Hikitia is the educational strategy for supporting young Māori to thrive academically, socially, and culturally for New Zealand’s future: Are there proper processes and practices in schools and other educational agencies to support that strategy?
4.8 This audit will address parts of the first question we posed in paragraph 4.5 – Is the strategy for raising Māori educational achievement (Ka Hikitia) being effectively implemented in schools? We expect to consider: t the level of awareness of Ka Hikitia in schools; t how effectively schools are implementing processes and practices to support Ka Hikitia (and with what outcomes); t the Ministry’s effectiveness in leading and facilitating the successful implementation of Ka Hikitia; and t the role of other educational agencies.
Potential audit topics for subsequent years 4.9 Potential topics for the rest of our five-year programme of audit work may include: t Implementation: – Do the relevant public entities and educators understand and address the identified potential barriers to Māori students achieving their potential? – Do the relevant public entities and educators understand and make the most of existing opportunities? – Has “refreshing” Ka Hikitia resulted in its wider and more effective implementation? – What is the effect of truancy, and suspending and expelling students? t Resources: – Is the funding committed to education well targeted and successfully applied? – Is the funding sustainable, and is it sustained long enough to deliver the intended results? t Good practices: – What systemic changes make a difference to student achievement, and are they sustainable?
t
t Partnerships: – Do effective partnerships with iwi enhance student achievement? – Is the sector co-ordinating its efforts to achieve results? – Are the systems for supporting students to make successful transitions into work and learning adequate? Results: – Is reporting effective? – Do results show that student achievement is being raised?
4.10 We plan to work with various interested parties to make sure that we focus this programme of audit work to best effect. We will provide information about how to engage with us on this subject on our website at www.oag.govt.nz.
Appendix 1 About Ka Hikitia
The Ministry of Education’s four focus areas for Ka Hikitia, and priorities for action in each focus area, are set out in the following table.
Focus area The “priorities for action” in this focus area are: Foundation years t QBSUJDJQBUJPOJOIJHIRVBMJUZFBSMZDIJMEIPPEFEVDBUJPO t FýFDUJWFUSBOTJUJPOTUPTDIPPM t TUSPOHFBSMZMJUFSBDZBOEOVNFSBDZGPVOEBUJPOT t FýFDUJWFIPNFTDIPPMQBSUOFSTIJQTGPDVTFEPOMFBSOJOH
Young people engaged in learning t FýFDUJWFUFBDIJOHBOEMFBSOJOHGPS.ƸPSJTUVEFOUTJOZFBSTBOE t FýFDUJWFQSPGFTTJPOBMEFWFMPQNFOUBOEBDDPVOUBCMFMFBEFSTIJQ t JODSFBTFETUVEFOUJOWPMWFNFOUJOBOESFTQPOTJCJMJUZGPSEFDJTJPO making about future education pathways t JNQSPWFEXIƸOBVTDIPPMQBSUOFSTIJQTGPDVTFEPOQSFTFODF engagement, and achievement.
Māori language in education t TUSPOHFTUBCMJTINFOUQSPDFTTFTGPS.ƸPSJNFEJVNTDIPPMT t FýFDUJWFUFBDIJOHBOEMFBSOJOHPG BOEUISPVHI UFSFP.ƸPSJ t TUSFOHUIFOJOHUIFTVQQMZPGRVBMJUZUFBDIFST t CVJMEJOHUIFFWJEFODFCBTFGPSNƸUBVSBOHB.ƸPSJ
Organisational success t TUSPOHMFBEFSTIJQJO.ƸPSJFEVDBUJPOBDSPTTUIF.JOJTUSZPG
Education and the education sector t NPSFDPOmEFOU.JOJTUSZQFPQMFXPSLJOHDMPTFMZXJUI.ƸPSJ t JODSFBTFE.JOJTUSZBDDPVOUBCJMJUZGPSPVUDPNFT t VTFPGFWJEFODFPGXIBUNBLFTUIFHSFBUFTUEJýFSFODFGPS BOEXJUI
Māori.
Source: Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success, Ministry of Education.
The Ministry has noted that “levers” for achieving these changes are: t increasing the professional learning and capability of teachers; t focusing on responsive and accountable professional leadership; t setting and resourcing priorities in te reo; t increasing whānau and iwi authority and involvement in education; and t strengthening inter-agency collaboration.
Appendix 2 Main evidence used to inform this report
We reviewed a wide range of published material, and material provided to us by people we interviewed and the Advisory Group. In particular, the following documents informed this report:
Official documents
t
t
t
t
t t
t
t t
t Education Review Office (2010), Promoting Success for Māori students: Schools’ Progress, Wellington. Education Review Office (2012), Partnership with Whānau Māori in Early Childhood Services, Wellington. Ministry of Education (2008), Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success: The Māori Education Strategy 2008-2012, Wellington. Ministry of Education (2008), Key evidence and how we must use it to improve the system performance for Māori, Wellington. Ministry of Education (2010), Ngā Haeata Mātauranga 2008/09, Wellington. Ministry of Education (2011), Statement of Intent 2011/12- 2016/17, Wellington. Ministry of Education (2011), Ka Hikitia – Mid term Review of progress in implementation Education Report – Key official documents, internal document. Ministry of Education (2012), Statement of Intent 2012-2017, Wellington. New Zealand Qualifications Authority (2012), Te Rautaki Māori a te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa 2012-2017, Wellington. Waitangi Tribunal, (2011), Ko Aotearoa Tēnei: a report into claims concerning New Zealand law and policy affecting Māori culture and identity, Legislation Direct, Wellington.
Research
t
t t
t
t Articles in set: Research Information for Teachers, set Reprints 2012, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Wellington. Bishop, R (2011), Freeing Ourselves, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam. Bishop, R and Glynn, T (1999), Culture Counts: Changing Power Relations in Education, Dunmore Press, Palmerston North. Bishop, R, O’Sullivan, D, and Berryman, M (2010), Scaling Up Education Reform: Addressing the Politics of Disparity, NZCER Press, Wellington. Durie, M (2005), “Te Tai Tini Transformations 2025”, CIGAD Working Paper Series 5/2005, Massey University, Wellington.
t
t
t
t
t
t
t
t Durie, M (2011), Ngā Tini Whetū – Navigating Māori Futures, Huia Publishers, Wellington. Goren, P (2009), How Policy Travels: Making sense of Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success: The Māori Education Strategy 2008-2012, Fulbright New Zealand, Wellington. Hattie, J (2008), “Narrow the Gap, Fix the Tail, or Close the Curves: The Power of Words”, in Rubie-Davies, C M, and Rawlinson, C, Challenging Thinking about Teaching And Learning, Nova Science Publishers, New York. Macfarlane, A H (2007), Discipline, Democracy and Diversity: Working with Students with Behaviour Difficulties, NZCER Press, Wellington. New Zealand House of Representatives (2008), Inquiry into making the schooling system work for every child – Report of the Education and Science Committee, Wellington. New Zealand School Trustees Association (2012), Submission to Māori Affairs Select Committee – Inquiry into the determinants of wellbeing for Māori and Pacific Children, Wellington. Robinson, V, Hōhepa, M, and Lloyd, C (2009), School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why – Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration, Ministry of Education, Wellington. Smith, G H (1995), “Whakaoho Whānau: New Formations of Whānau as an Innovative Intervention into Māori Cultural and Educational Crises”, He Pukenga Korero Vol. 1 No. 1, pages 18-36, Massey University School of Māori Studies.
Appendix 3 Important initiatives or projects relevant to Māori education
The Ministry of Education (the Ministry) states that all of its programmes and initiatives are designed to attend effectively to Māori learners. The programmes on the following list are highlighted as having special relevance. 32
Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success: The Ministry’s approach to improving the performance of the education system for and with Māori. Ka Hikitia says this is a key aspect of having a quality education system where all students are succeeding and achieving.
Te Whāriki: The Ministry produced the bicultural early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, in 1996. Te Whāriki is closely aligned to the concepts of ako and whānaungatanga. ECE providers are expected by regulation to provide a curriculum consistent with the “curriculum standard: general” in the Education Act 1989.
He Kākano: The Ministry, in partnership with Waikato University and Te Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, set up He Kākano in October 2010 with funding of $7 million for two years. He Kākano is a direct response to the priorities in Ka Hikitia. It is a strategic school-based professional development programme with an explicit focus on improving culturally responsive leadership and teacher practices to ensure that Māori learners enjoy educational success as Māori. The strategic intent of the project is to improve the emotional, social, cultural, and academic outcomes of Māori children. He Kākano offers a practical approach to address these changes.
Student Achievement Function: The Student Achievement Function was originally established to lift numeracy and literacy for students in the Ministry’s three priority groups by improving teachers’ and schools’ practice. Through the Student Achievement Function, the Ministry employs expert practitioners to work in identified schools to promote cultural changes to help to raise achievement.
Positive Behaviour for Learning: The Positive Behaviour for Learning programmes include parenting programmes in collaboration with Māori non-governmental organisations. The programmes contribute to the work carried out by the Ministries of Education, Health, Justice, and Social Development as part of the Addressing Drivers of Crime initiative.
Te Kotahitanga: This project was initiated by researchers but has been supported by the Ministry in subsequent years. Te Kotahitanga has been carried out in five phases since 2002 and is now in about 50 schools. The experience of Māori students informed the development of the Effective Teaching Profile, which teachers then implemented in the classroom. The Effective Teaching Profile
embraces the concepts of ako, manaakitanga, and whānaungatanga. The model relies on feedback from participants to inform subsequent teaching. Achievement gains for Māori and other students have been increasingly significant during the five phases.
ECE participation projects: These are community-led participation projects for ECE in selected areas. The Ministry’s Targeted Assistance for Participation programme is targeted to “areas identified as having the greatest need and where we stand to make the biggest impact in ECE participation”. 33 The programme funds several Māori bilingual ECE providers.
Youth Guarantee programmes: Secondary and tertiary education agencies are responsible for Youth Guarantee programmes, which aim to improve the educational achievements of targeted 16- and 17-year-olds through a range of free vocational courses. The concept has been piloted in Manukau, and the Government has committed $84 million over four years to Youth Guarantee programmes.
Tau Mai e – the Māori Language in Education Strategy: The Ministry’s strategy identifies “priorities, logic and investment plans” and explains how the Ministry will know whether its investment in te reo in education is making a positive difference.
Targeted Student Engagement and Attendance Programme: This flagship programme aims to ensure that secondary school students are enrolled in and attend school, including Māori students (who are over-represented in truancy rates).
Appendix 4 About Māori-medium education
Māori-medium providers are kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, and wānanga. The primary purpose of kōhanga reo is to pass on Māori language and cultural values to young children through total immersion in te reo and a concurrent emphasis on whānau, hapū, and iwi development. The Ministry supports this model of education, 34 noting that “Key elements of success for the movement have been that kohanga reo are designed, managed, and administered by whānau.”
Kura kaupapa Māori operate on the principles of Te Aho Matua o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori (Te Aho Matua), written as the foundation document for kura kaupapa Māori and legislated for in 1999. 35 The foundation document is written in Māori. Translated, it says that Te Aho Matua provides: t BQIJMPTPQIJDBMCBTFGPSUIFUFBDIJOHBOEMFBSOJOHPGDIJMESFOBOEQSPWJEFT policy guidelines for parents, teachers, and Boards of Trustees in their respective roles and responsibilities; and t BCBTJTGSPNXIJDIDVSSJDVMVNQMBOOJOHBOEEFTJHODBOFWPMWF BMMPXJOHGPS diversity while maintaining an integral unity.
Te Aho Matua is presented in six parts. Each part has a special focus on what, from a Māori point of view, is crucial in the education of children.
The six parts are Te Ira Tangata (the human essence), Te Reo (the language), Ngā Iwi (the people), Te Ao (the world), Āhuatanga Ako (circumstances of learning), and Ngā Tino Uaratanga (essential values). 36
Kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori are characterised by this focus on Māori culture and language as the purpose and the means of educational, personal, and eventually societal success.
34 Ministry of Education (2001), Report to the Ministers of Education and Māori Affairs of the Crown/Kohanga Reo
National Trust Joint Working Group to review the relationship between the Crown and Te Kohanga Reo National
Trust, Wellington, page 5.
Publications by the Auditor-General
Other publications issued by the Auditor-General recently have been:
t t t t t t
t t t t t t t t t t t t t Reviewing financial management in central government Realising benefits from six public sector technology projects Annual Plan 2012/13 Fraud awareness, prevention, and detection in the public sector Institutional arrangements for training, registering, and appraising teachers New Zealand Qualifications Authority: Assuring the consistency and quality of internal assessment for NCEA Statement of Intent 2012–2015 Public entities’ progress in implementing the Auditor-General’s recommendations 2012 Draft annual plan 2012/13 Local government: Results of the 2010/11 audits Severance payments: A guide for the public sector Health sector: Results of the 2010/11 audits Central government: Results of the 2010/11 audits (Volume 2) New Zealand Blood Service: Managing the safety and supply of blood products Central government: Results of the 2010/11 audits (Volume 1) Education sector: Results of the 2010/11 audits Managing the implications of public private partnerships Cleanest public sector in the world: Keeping fraud at bay Annual Report 2010/11
Website All these reports, and many of our earlier reports, are available in HTML and PDF format on our website – www.oag.govt.nz. Most of them can also be obtained in hard copy on request – reports@oag.govt.nz.
Notification of new reports We offer facilities on our website for people to be notified when new reports and public statements are added to the website. The home page has links to our RSS feed, Twitter account, Facebook page, and email subscribers service.
Sustainable publishing The Office of the Auditor-General has a policy of sustainable publishing practices. This report is printed on environmentally responsible paper stocks manufactured under the environmental management system standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp sourced from sustainable well-managed forests. Processes for manufacture include use of vegetable-based inks and water-based sealants, with disposal and/or recycling of waste materials according to best business practices.
Office of the Auditor-General PO Box 3928, Wellington 6140
Telephone: (04) 917 1500 Facsimile: (04) 917 1549
Email: reports@oag.govt.nz Website: www.oag.govt.nz
