Introducing Newly Elected NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels

NZEI Te Riu Roa, the country’s largest education sector, welcomes Ripeka Lessels as the incoming Te Manukura | President.

Ms Lessels was elected to the position today at Hui-ā-Tui, the annual NZEI Te Riu Roa conference, and will succeed outgoing president Mark Potter in February 2025.

Ms Lessels says her focus over the two-year term of her presidency will be to help grow educators’ collective strength to work with their communities to win better funding for public education, so that every child gets the support they need to succeed in their learning.

Ms Lessels (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, and Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is the Deputy Chair of the Teaching Council of New Zealand and has 40 years’ experience in the education sector, teaching at primary and secondary levels and in Māori and English medium. She will be seconded from her usual role of principal at Te Whata Tau o Putauaki school and moves into the role of President after completing a two-year term as vice-president of NZEI Te Riu Roa.

Raewyn Himona, teacher at Haeata Community Campus in Christchurch, was elected Vice-President.

Ms Lessels will start as President in the new year.

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