Switching on the light for higher education

Jim McTamney. Photo / Kelvin Teixeira.

If you ask Jim McTamney he will tell you the answer to society's problems is education.

And the 64-year-old should know. For the past 45 years he has been involved in educational roles, teaching at primary schools and as principal at three Rotorua schools.

For the past four years, he has been manager of the Waiariki campus of Te Wananga o Aotearoa, encompassing Rotorua, Taupo, Kawerau, Whakatane and Tauranga.

Now he's set to take on a national role within the wananga, ensuring programmes run through the Maori tertiary institution and its 900 teachers are of a high calibre.

During his time with the wananga, Mr McTamney said he had seen thousands of young students' lives changed.

About 2000 study at the wananga throughout the Waiariki rohe (area).

"Once you see that light switch on, people's lives begin to change. People want to work to improve their opportunities and lives in general. I believe we have to be big enough as a nation to see that there are alternative ways for people to learn," he said.

"I've seen education from all levels and I see it as the answer to a wide range of issues in our society today. There needs to be education right from parenthood through to early childhood and youth levels so we can address family breakdowns and youth dislocation."

In his new role with the wananga, he will be working on a number of projects aimed at developing and enhancing its teachers.

"Teaching and learning are at the centre of our work and teaching quality of the highest performance is our aim. It's about improving the quality of our staff and providing them with development programmes.

"There is now huge opportunity for the wananga to look at how it works with learners in the future."