Media Release: Waikato Tainui, 7 April 2016
Waikato-Tainui Chief Executive Parekawhia McLean says a partnership with local secondary schools will advance iwi members.
Later this month, a kawenata (covenant) will be signed between Waikato-Tainui and 14 secondary schools. Kawenata o te Mana Maatauranga seeks to establish a region-wide commitment to work together to achieve mutual education objectives.
Secondary schools who are partnering with Waikato-Tainui include Fairfield College, Hamilton Girls’ High School, Melville High School, Ngaruawahia High School, Patricia Avenue School, Raglan Area School, Huntly College, Tai Wananga, St Paul’s Collegiate, Matamata College, Pukekohe High School, Papakura High School, Fraser High School and Te Aho o te Kura Pounamu.
Ms McLean says the tribe is fortunate to be formalising its relationship with schools in the Waikato region because it establishes the opportunity for ongoing and meaningful engagement. “This kawenata signifies a positive collaboration that we see as an innovative approach to ensuring the educational success of our people.
“As set out in our education plan – Ko te Mana Maatauranga, a key priority for the tribe is for all iwi members aged 15 years and over to have an education qualification by the year 2050 and this kawenata brings us a step closer to realising this goal.”
She says, “All parties share a common goal of ensuring educational success and with this kawenata we are able to combine our strengths in areas where we have common interests.
“It also allows for meaningful pathways to be developed by providing schools with access to our industry partners and mentoring programme,” says Ms McLean.
To mark the signing of this kawenata a tohu will be presented to each of the schools at a special ceremony held at the Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development in Hopuhopu on Wednesday 13 April.