by Rebecca Thomas
The proposed amendments to the Education and Training Act 2020 are set to shape the future of education in New Zealand. With changes that affect everything from student achievement to the rights of students and Māori learners, the need for critical reflection has never been more urgent.
In our last post, (Asking the Right Questions About Proposed Changes to the Education Act) we explored the potential implications of these changes, but now we turn our attention to an essential question: How do these proposals reflect the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi? If they don't, what should we, as a collective, suggest and do?
This post will delve into the proposed amendments and reflect on how they relate to the articles of Te Tiriti, ensuring that Kāwanatanga (Governance), Tino Rangatiratanga (Self-determination), Ōritetanga (Equity), and Te Reo Māori are given due consideration and upheld in our education system.
Understanding the Proposals: A Te Tiriti Lens
Let's break down the consultation document and see where Te Tiriti o Waitangi fits—or doesn’t fit—within these changes:
Proposal 1: Making Educational Achievement the Primary Objective
The Government proposes that student achievement become the primary focus of school boards. This goal aims to prioritise measurable academic outcomes, but we must ask: does focusing on achievement narrowly defined by standardised metrics respect Te Tiriti commitments?
Te Tiriti Question: Are the diverse needs and aspirations of Māori learners adequately addressed when achievement is framed this way? Te Ao Māori values holistic development, including emotional, social, and spiritual well-being—does this proposal allow room for that?
Kāwanatanga Considerations: In evaluating the proposal, it’s crucial to ensure that school boards, as governance agents, are held accountable for upholding the rights of Māori learners by providing education that aligns with their cultural values. While prioritising academic achievement is important, care must be taken not to undermine the holistic, well-being-focused approach of Te Ao Māori, which values the development of the whole person—culturally, emotionally, and spiritually, as well as academically.
In terms of kāwanatanga, while governance structures are essential, the responsibility also lies in protecting the mana and interests of Māori within education. We need guarantees that school boards will implement strategies that foster not just academic success, but the protection of Māori identity and culture
Proposal 2: Attendance
Attendance is critical, and we agree that school boards should take every step to ensure students attend. But the reasons for poor attendance often lie deeper than just absences; cultural disconnects, systemic inequities, and intergenerational trauma play a role, especially for Māori students.
Te Tiriti Question: How will this proposal support schools in identifying and addressing the root causes of poor attendance? Is there enough focus on creating culturally safe and inclusive environments?
Tino Rangatiratanga considerations: Article 2, which safeguards Māori authority over their taonga, including education, must be at the forefront. Introducing punitive measures like fines for non-attendance may overlook the broader, more complex reasons behind why tamariki are not attending school. This approach risks undermining the mana and rights of Māori to determine the most suitable educational pathways for their children.
To truly honour Te Tiriti, we need to focus on creating culturally safe, inclusive environments that address the root causes of poor attendance. This means working in partnership with whānau, hapū, and iwi to understand the unique challenges Māori students face, ensuring their learning environments reflect their culture, values, and aspirations. Simply enforcing attendance through punitive measures does not achieve this—it could instead perpetuate the disconnect and deepen disengagement.
Proposal 3: Quality Assessment and Aromatawai
The proposal to ensure that schools use good quality assessment and aromatawai to monitor student progress has important implications for Te Reo Māori and Mātauranga Māori. Aromatawai is an integral part of Māori pedagogy, focusing on reflection and feedback that aligns with Māori worldviews. However, standardised assessments often fail to capture the full breadth of learning and achievement valued by Māori.
Te Tiriti Question: How do these assessments incorporate mātauranga Māori, tikanga Māori, and te ao Māori values in evaluating success? Will Māori modes of learning and assessment be valued equally alongside traditional Western frameworks?
Te Reo Māori Considerations: How will this proposal ensure that aromatawai is not subsumed by Western assessment methods but is given equal standing? What measures will be taken to ensure that assessment frameworks respect and promote Te Reo Māori as a living, vibrant language in education?
Protecting Te Reo Māori within assessment practices is essential for ensuring the language thrives in education. Aromatawai should be designed in ways that reflect the depth and breadth of Māori knowledge, rather than being forced into a standardised box.
Proposal 4: Removing Student Rights
The Government suggests that explicit reference to student rights in the Education Act is unnecessary since other legislation already protects these rights. However, removing this reference could risk overlooking specific needs within educational settings.
Te Tiriti Question: How will the removal of this objective ensure that Māori students, who historically have faced marginalisation within the education system, have their rights actively upheld within the education system?
Proposal 5: Equitable Outcomes for Māori Learners
Shifting the requirement for schools to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students to the forefront of the Tiriti clause is a welcome move towards Ōritetanga. This recognises the need to address systemic inequities and prioritise Māori learners' success. However, visibility alone is not enough—this shift must be matched by meaningful action and resources to support Māori learners in achieving their potential.
Te Tiriti Question: Will shifting this objective result in meaningful changes, or does it risk being symbolic without substantive backing in policy, practice, and resources? How will schools be held accountable to these commitments, and what support will they receive to uphold them?
Ōritetanga Considerations: Will schools be provided with the resources and support needed to ensure equitable outcomes for Māori students? How will accountability measures be strengthened to ensure that this focus translates into real change on the ground?
Ōritetanga demands more than symbolic gestures. It requires that Māori learners are provided with the same opportunities and support as other students, but tailored to their unique needs and aspirations as tangata whenua. The proposal must ensure schools are not just focusing on equitable outcomes but actively working to dismantle the barriers that prevent these outcomes from being realised.
Proposal 6: Replacing "Local Curriculum" with "Teaching and Learning Programmes"
The proposal to replace the term "local curriculum" with "teaching and learning programmes" raises significant concerns under Tino Rangatiratanga. Local iwi and hapū have the right to influence what is taught in their regions, ensuring that their histories, tikanga, and mātauranga are embedded within the curriculum. By shifting to a more standardised national focus, there is a risk of marginalising Māori voices in shaping local education.
Te Tiriti Question: Will this change dilute the cultural responsiveness of schools? How can we ensure that schools still honour local iwi and hapū partnerships under this more centralised approach?
Tino Rangatiratanga Considerations: Does this change limit the capacity of iwi and hapū to exercise self-determination over what and how their tamariki are taught?
How will the proposal maintain genuine partnership with Māori in decision-making about education?
Tino Rangatiratanga is about ensuring Māori have agency in education. This proposal should guarantee that iwi and hapū maintain control over how their values, histories, and knowledge are integrated into school programmes, rather than having these subsumed by national priorities.
Proposal 7: Removing the National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP)
The removal of the NELP could lead to less strategic direction for schools, particularly in areas of cultural inclusivity and equity for Māori learners.
Te Tiriti Question: By removing this high-level strategic framework, do we risk leaving Māori students and their needs as an afterthought in the rush to standardise achievement? Will schools still be guided to uphold Te Tiriti obligations?
What Should We Be Suggesting and Doing?
The proposed changes ask schools to focus on achievement, attendance, and assessment, but we must advocate for an education system that honours all the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Here are key suggestions for the community:
Ensure Holistic Success: Advocate for a definition of "achievement" that includes social, cultural, and emotional well-being. We need policies that embrace holistic development, not just narrow academic metrics.
Strengthen Māori Voices in Attendance Strategies: Push for consultation with Māori communities to identify why attendance issues exist and how schools can better serve Māori students. Attendance strategies need to go beyond numbers to address systemic barriers.
Culturally Responsive Assessments: Demand that any assessment frameworks are co-designed with Māori educators and communities. Aromatawai and other Māori-led evaluations must be given equal weight to standardised assessments.
Explicitly Protect Māori Student Rights: Removing rights language weakens protections for all students, especially those already marginalised. Let’s call for maintaining explicit language around student rights in education legislation, particularly for Māori students.
Resourcing and Accountability for Equitable Outcomes: Moving equitable outcomes for Māori to the front of the Tiriti clause is a good start, but without robust accountability and resources, this change risks being symbolic. Let’s push for schools to receive the necessary support to achieve true equity.
Preserve Local Influence in Curricula: We must protect the right of local communities—especially Māori iwi and hapū—to influence what’s taught in schools. The shift away from "local curriculum" risks disconnecting education from local values, stories, and knowledge.
The Path Forward
As these consultations continue, we must raise our voices. These proposed changes have the potential to narrow the educational landscape to the detriment of Māori learners, students’ rights, and holistic development.
We must demand that the Education Act reflects our obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This is not only about equity for Māori students but about creating an education system where every child thrives.
Let’s ensure the final policy changes serve all students—honouring their cultural identities, safeguarding their rights, and preparing them to succeed in all aspects of life.
We have until 14th October to act and speak up. Make our voices heard - kotahitanga.
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