Rongo Wetere: Wananga provides learning staircase

COMMENT

Last week, Bill English, the National Party education spokesman, tried to make political capital out of a Qualifications Authority quality audit report of Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

This audit was done almost a year ago. Sixteen matters - some minor, and one involving a single international student - were identified for attention.

Te Wananga o Aotearoa took this report very seriously, and worked with the authority to remedy the identified areas. We are confident these issues have been addressed, and last week I wrote to the authority requesting an urgent new audit to restore our academic reputation.

It is unfortunate that Mr English chose to focus just on these issues. What he didn't highlight were the report's overwhelmingly positive findings, including:

* Generally, students are succeeding in wananga programmes.

* Courses have attracted and returned to education many Maori whose previous educational experiences were negative.

* Key management personnel (including an academic quality manager) have been appointed to strengthen the infrastructure and quality management systems.

* The wananga is making a significant contribution to the professional development of staff, including the upgrading of qualifications.

* Staff at various levels express a sense of unity of purpose and commitment to the kaupapa (philosophy) of Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Any tertiary education institution would be proud and delighted by these Qualifications Authority findings.

It is understandable that there is scepticism in some quarters as Te Wananga o Aotearoa is, indeed, a phenomenon.

Established in 1993 under the Education Amendment Act, the institute surprised the education sector during the past year by becoming the largest provider of tertiary education in New Zealand.

Nearly 38,000 Maori enrolments occurred at Te Wananga last year, along with more than 25,000 non-Maori enrolments.

This substantial growth in student numbers endorses one of the institute's key objectives, that of making learning more accessible for students. Our move to provide free courses and mixed modes of delivery is a direct response to student preference and demand.

This unprecedented popularity and subsequent enrolments have generated both admiration and the attention of the great Kiwi knocking machine. News media have been quick to report student complaints, which seem to be inevitable with any large institution. Despite our best efforts, we cannot please everyone.

Nonetheless, I am pleased that the news media have also taken to promoting the positive news, and there has been much in recent times.

Ministry of Education tertiary education statistics show that Maori participation in tertiary education almost doubled from 1999 to last year (from 32,825 to 62,574 students). These statistics do not include enrolments in community education.

Additionally, the Ministry of Education's 2003 publication on Retention, Completion and Progression in Tertiary Education stated that "of those completing certificates in 2001, wananga have the highest rate of progression to diploma-level study ... Wananga have the highest rate of progression from diplomas to degrees".

"The percentage of wananga students completing certificates or diplomas in 2001 and studying at the same or a lower level in 2002 is also the highest for any sub-sector.

"Of domestic students, Asian students have the highest completion rates over all levels ... At levels below degree level, Maori completion rates are similar to Asians ... Over all qualification levels, Maori have the highest rates of progression; 48 per cent of those completing a qualification will continue studying ... Maori are more likely to progress from a wananga."

The bulk of Maori tertiary enrolments are at wananga, two of which are small specialist institutions, but most are at Te Wananga o Aotearoa, which is providing a staircase into higher learning for tens of thousands of Maori who have never participated in tertiary education before.

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Steve Maharey, has said Maori enrolment in tertiary education is one of the great success stories of this Government.

As our charter explains, Te Wananga o Aotearoa is dedicated to raising the participation of all New Zealanders in tertiary education. Our results indicate that with careful planning and quality courses, which are accessible and have appeal to a wide cross-section of people, we are achieving this goal.

While we cater for all New Zealanders, we are proudly a Maori institution, committed to the following kaupapa (philosophy): promoting ahuatanga Maori (Maori language, culture and tikanga); increasing Maori participation in tertiary education; and staircasing Maori into higher education.

Te Wananga o Aotearoa plays a significant role in maintaining, advancing and promoting Te Ao Maori knowledge and understanding. It will be looked back on by future generations as having played a significant role in the renaissance of our culture.

Yet on an economic and employment front, the National leader, Don Brash, is right when he says that Maori earning rates are substantially below non-Maori. This has a lot to do with qualifications and skill levels, as well as attitudes.

Te Wananga o Aotearoa is committed to the advancement of our people in these areas, placing equal emphasis on trades and trade skills, being complementary to diploma and degree programmes.

An Institute of Economic Research report on the economic, social and cultural impact of Te Wananga o Aotearoa found it to be the largest and, arguably, one of the most important tertiary institutions in New Zealand.

We take that responsibility seriously. Our kaupapa is to transform the lives of our students, of their whanau, their communities and, indeed, our society.

As wananga staff like to say: we turn them on to learning.

* Dr Rongo Wetere is the chief executive of Te Awamutu-based Te Wananga o Aotearoa, which has 10 campuses.