NZOM honours homegrown educator

HONOURS: Professor Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

AN EDUCATOR with Wairarapa roots has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Professor Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley, a graduate of Kuranui College of Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Ngai Tahu descent, has received the award in recognition of her services to education and Maori.

Dr McKinley,59, grew up in Carterton and studied chemistry at the University of Otago before attending teacher's college in Christchurch. Several family members, including her mother, brother and two sisters still live in Wairarapa, in Masterton and Greytown.

Dr McKinley taught at Rotorua Girls High and Hauraki Plains College and went on to complete a Masters and then a PhD in education at the University of Otago.

Until recently she was the director of Starpath, a University of Auckland/government partnership which aims to address educational inequality among Maori Pacific students and low-decile students.

She has since taken up a position establishing the Centre for Indigenous Education Research at the University of Melbourne.

Dr McKinley said she was honoured by the award, which reflected on everyone involved in the Starpath project.

"It's recognition of all those people who've worked very hard on that project. It's great to get that recognition for them as well, and it's recognition for me - I've been in the [education] game for a long time."

The project focused on 39 low decile schools in Auckland and Northland and had shown good results, with a recent report showing two thirds of schools involved had made progress over and above national gains.

She had also produced a resource book explaining the NCEA system in plain language for parents and students.

It could be difficult for parents or whanau to navigate the complexities of the NCEA system, and get their children into degree-level study, Dr McKinley said.

"It's about making sure that every kid has the opportunity to fulfil that potential - we've got too many good brains going to waste. Just because they were born into a poorer family, there should be no reason that they shouldn't be able to fulfil their potential and aspire to be all that they can."

After 36 years in education, she remained passionate about her work, she said.

"It's about kids having a fair go."