Solo mum Andromeda Teuaki Ki Tangipa says choosing to homeschool her young daughter has helped them save money - and she is encouraging more Pasifika families to do the same.
The 35-year-old hails from Tonga and grew up mostly in West Auckland, where she received both public and private Christian education.
“I’ve saved a lot. I know other Pacific families are moving towards homeschooling for this very reason. I’ve been able to put the money towards important bills and other resources for my children.”
Tangipa is enrolled with Home Schooling New Zealand and is following the Accredited Christian Education curriculum, which is one of several options available to homeschool families.
“The ACE my daughter is on is also the same one I went through when I attended West City Christian College. As a solo parent, my faith plays a big part.
The supervision allowance rates were increased last year in 2023 and again this year. Any first child receives $769 per year, with a further increase to $796 in 2024.
According to the Ministry of Education, there were 11,179 children in New Zealand listed as being homeschooled, as of early January.
Tangipa is in her second year of being a homeschool parent and her daily activities give her daughter more freedom to learn indoors and outdoors.
Teuaki Ki Tangipa's daughter in her outdoor currciular activities.
“We start with prayer every morning and culturally, growing up, I’ve been able to adapt - whereas a mainstream school wouldn’t.
“I also work part-time, which is my escape from the kids. My parents and siblings are involved in my daughter’s homeschooling, so they know what to do.”
Tangipa has been able to adapt their timetable to acknowledge their Sabbath.
“I shut off and kind of go off the grid from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown; where it’s similar to the Islands in Tonga - where everything shuts down.”
Focused help needed for Pasifika homeschool families
Andromeda Teuaki Ki Tangipa and her daughter.
Tangipa says that as more Pacific Island families turn to homeschooling, she would like to see more support from the new Government in this regard; because Pasifika families typically have larger households and more children.
Home Schooling NZ principal Todd Roughton said there has historically always been a steady number of Pasifika families enrolling with them.
“The three reasons we hear time and again from families who are wanting to switch to home-schooling are the appalling academic standards in our schools, socialisation and children being proselytised in the classrooms by teachers pushing a woke social engineering agenda.
“This aspect, in particular, is something that many Pasifika families find deeply offensive.”
Tangipa encourages other Pacific parents to support one another.
“I congratulate homeschoolers. It’s not an easy task [and] it’s for our return. We reap what we sow - as long as we keep on with the little bits, it’s going to have a huge comeback.”
Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai is one of 12 cadets in the Te Rito journalism programme, which has a focus on training more culturally diverse reporters to ensure newsrooms reflect Aotearoa’s multicultural society. Grace has a keen interest in telling Pasifika stories, South Auckland and sports.
