29 March 2007 Media Statement

New Programme Has Promising Results for Maori Students

A programme targeting Māori students has resulted in a marked improvement in their performance at school, Associate Education Minister Parekura Horomia said today.

He said a report released today on Te Kotahitanga, a research and teacher professional development programme started in 2000, shows very encouraging results.

“We are seeing improvements in numeracy and literacy for these students. The results clearly indicate that there is a positive association between Māori student performance and the programme. There are also benefits for non-Māori students,” said Mr Horomia.

The report says that follow-up interviews with Māori students showed that when they have a good relationship with their teachers, they thrive at school. Follow-up interviews with the teachers involved indicate that they have undergone a philosophical shift in the way they think about teaching and learning.

“The unrelenting focus on Māori student achievement is at the heart of this programme,” said Mr Horomia.

The Māori Education Research Institute at the School of Education, University of Waikato, in partnership with Poutama Pounamu Research and Development Centre are carrying out the programme.

It started in 2000 when Māori students, their whānau, principals and teachers were interviewed about their school experiences.

An Effective Teaching Profile was developed in 2001 and implemented through a professional development programme in 12 schools in 2004 and 2005 involving 422 teachers.

The professional development programme promotes a more interactive approach between students and teachers, where teachers spend less time interacting with the whole class and more time with individuals and small groups of students.

“It’s about building a relationship between teacher and student. It’s about teachers having a good understanding of the students' individual learning needs and having expectations that they can and will achieve. It’s also about making the learning relevant for Māori,” said Mr Horomia.

Te Kotahitanga was extended last year to include another 21 schools. An independent evaluation of the programme is being carried out by the Education Ministry, beginning in May. The evaluation will help to inform the future direction of the programme.

ENDS

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