Tauranga's first full-immersion Maori secondary school officially opened its doors this week.
Te Wharekura o Mauao school for Years 7 to 11 has been operating for the last three years, with two of those being run from a temporary facility at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.
Now the 115 students attending the school have a permanent home with the official opening of the Bethlehem campus on Thursday.
It sits on a peak above Bethlehem on the corner of Westmorland Rise.
School Principal Tame Kuka says the school will address the needs of Maori youth in Tauranga.
'It's not separatism. Maori kids are not achieving in mainstream schools so we are saying, ‘give us the opportunity to try and lift their performance'.”
Te Wharekura o Mauao's buildings and classrooms are designed to replicate the shape of Mauao's base and its various features, such as the mountain's north-eastern bluff.
The school has the capacity to educate 450 students between intermediate and high-school age.
'Kids who come to this school will be motivated. I think it will be positive for the community,” says Tame.
Early results are already pointing to success.
On the May 18 students from the kura travelled to Whakatane for Nga Manu Korero a Rohe 2012 - a prestigious speech competition.
Three students from the school entered.
Wiremu Toma entered the Junior Maori section, Marata Bidois entered Senior English and Te Oi Singh competed in the Junior English division.
Wiremu Toma placed 3rd for Junior Maori, Marata Bidois placed 6th for senior English and Te Oi placed 1st for Junior English.
The Wharekura was built after Tauranga iwi in 2003 surveyed and found a need for a secondary immersion school.
The Ministry consulted with the community in 2006 and 2007, and the result was the setting up of the Wharekura o Mauao on a temporary site at the campus of the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.
The Bethlehem site had been purchased by the Ministry some years previously and was considered ideal.
At present the Wharekura has a roll of 115, but will continue to grow as it currently has learners in Years 7 to 11 only.
The design was a collaborative effort between the Wharekura leadership and architect.
The school symbolises Mauao, Mount Maunganui, this can be seen from a birds eye view, in the materials used and in the layout.
The cost was $11.7 million.
29 comments
WHAT A SHAME
Posted on 20-07-2012 13:49 | By YOGI
These kids will be limited in what jobs and occupations that they can get, they will not be able to travel overseas so easily either. Such a shame really, why do this?
IS IT SEGREGATION?
Posted on 20-07-2012 13:51 | By YOGI
The real reason for main stream failure has nothing to do with the education system (although it does have failings) it is in the hands of parents to teach the basics and so a desire of a child to learn and achieve.
education
Posted on 20-07-2012 15:04 | By elainec
Your comments are not founded on any research or actual knowledge.
Great Work Te Wharekura O Mauau.
Posted on 20-07-2012 15:38 | By Hoha
Great work at the Manu Korero!! Keep it up. As the article states, the school has come about to address the needs of Maori students in Tauranga. So why is it that 'Is it segregation' believes it has nothing to do with mainstream education? Firstly, are you Maori and have you endured the education as a young Maori student in Tauranga. If you have not, maybe you should ask a Maori student who is currently having problems learning in the main stream education system, and there are a lot. Not only a few as you probably assume. As for 'What a shame' why is it a shame to be learning a language that was stripped from their grandparents, great grandparents and so forth? How will that limit travelling overseas easily? If you took a look at how NZ tourism is promoted overseas, is it not Maori culture that is predominantly used along side New Zealand's beautiful landscape, is it not the HAKA that world views as our trademark for our overseas tournaments and competitions in the world of sports? Do you have any idea how many groups of Maori travel overseas for months at a time performing Kapa Haka (Maori performing arts) what you seem to perceive as a waste a time? Courts now require a translator if a person wants to have their case heard in Maori. Government agencies are now required to cater to the needs of Maori which I believe makes the need for Maori speakers a necessity. Such a shame, I think not. New Zealand is changing, and I believe for the better of all children. Here's a suggestion, if you have nothing positive to say about a new approach to education because you cant see past your narrow minded views, research and attempt to understand rather than making such ignorant and harsh judgements of a school that is educating children that would probably be just another number to already understaffed mainstream education.
What a waste of resources WHO PAID?
Posted on 20-07-2012 15:47 | By carpedeum
Yes- it is segregation (based on language)My question is - Will it REALLY prepare them to make their way in the world and be self reliant when they leave?? I had amazing neighbours -one Yugoslav-the other Bulgarian- their children spoke perfect English PLUS Yugoslavian, Bulgarian and Greek- ALL TAUGHT AT HOME. They were never rude enough to speak anything other than English when with English friends etc, and chatter away in native tongue at other (family)times.
untitled
Posted on 21-07-2012 13:56 | By traceybjammet
it is separating the kids from other children of all races and religon. This will make it more difficult when they do get out in the real world not just NZ. The parents of these kids are the ones that need to create family oriented home-life Lets hope the parents get involved with school activities and not the gangs. I do think it is a great idea for all NZers to be able to speak Maori and know the culture. In todays world Enlish, Science and the other basics have to be mastered first and then the kids with a passion for Maori culture and language will encourage the ongoing learning of this as our National identity together with other races including Pakeha.
Freedom
Posted on 21-07-2012 14:43 | By Tirama
Knowlegde is freedom ignorance is bondage...Let us celebrate and rejoice in the fact that Te Wharekura o Mauao is a realisation of the dreams of local iwi. I applaude those responsible for making it happen. Mainstream education has been failing Maori students. I have worked in both systems and I have witnessed the growth in knowledge and motivation to learn from Maori students in Maori Immersion and I have witnessed failure in mainstream. I remember sitting beside Te Atairangi Kahu when meetings were being held in Huntly where we were discussing the future of her mokopuna...young Maori were in a state of misery at that time...mainstream education was failing them. These discussions lead to Te Wharekura o Rakaumangama being born and that kura stands strong today developing and leading the minds of the future. Yogi how can you can yourself Yogi when you say things like segregation and shame...these words are laced with fear...fear of love and a future for young Maori. There are no limits...feel the freedom and fly
Unneccessary Expense
Posted on 21-07-2012 15:25 | By Jitter
Those Maori students who are encouraged at home, want to and are keen to succeed, do so in the mainstream education system and do well later in life. Some students will do well in the Maori immersion secondary school and others will fail as they would have in mainstream education because they are not interested in learning. Why aren't there any Samoan, Tongan, Chinese, Indian total immersian schools ?. Why don't Govt Agencies and the courts cater for these groups ? Why in NZ do we cater for one small ethnic group and not all of the other small ethnic groups ? Hoha is right in their comment "NZ is changing for the better of all children", but unfortunately "all children" in this case only includes one ethnic group. There would be a great outcry if it was announced that special English, Tongan, Samoan, Chinese and Indian immersion schools were to be established to boost the education standards of all the children in these ethnic groups. This would immediately be labelled as racial discrimination. So what's the difference ? It will be very interesting to see the long term academic results from this new college, and if it does make all the difference to Maori students as we have been told it will.
untitled
Posted on 21-07-2012 16:13 | By traceybjammet
of course in saying that I would be extremely happy to be proven wrong with graduating students being happy and healthy stusents contributing to NZ and the worlds needs and future
TRACEY B JAMMET
Posted on 21-07-2012 17:23 | By YOGI
I agree with what you say, hard to see how the kids will benefit as an adult and so make the best of their life and so contribute as best they can to society as a whole.
ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON
Posted on 21-07-2012 22:26 | By Investigator
Hoha I agree with your assessment 100% as it is pointless having kids in normal schools that don't want to learn and disrupt those that do wish to learn and better themselves.It is a win win situation as it saves expulsions and gives them another option to amuse themselves.If I see a problem like this arising I will certainly be recommending the kids causing issues who can't cope with traditional proven schooling go to Te Wharekura for tutoring to round them off as non achievers.I would not however agree with your views Hoha on the overseas junkets of the haka squads.These are ultimately funded by Tourism NZ so are somewhat commercial as opposed to cultural.I was saddened to see at the Queens festivities today that out of the 4 nationalities that performed for her the maori haka ranked well adrift of Tahitians Pacific Islanders and even the Australian Aboriginals who were all more professional and polished according to the critics.Such is life.
GREAT IDEA
Posted on 22-07-2012 22:42 | By YOGI
This will help the general school absentee rates a lot, all in one place and better able to be managed.
A LOT OF BENEFITS
Posted on 23-07-2012 00:50 | By YOGI
Mian stream kids can get on with a quality education, as long as the planned score card is introduced for all as so as can confirm the improvements made can be seen for sure.
HOHA - PART2
Posted on 23-07-2012 15:31 | By PLONKER
'What a shame' means that Maori kids are being held back by this path, this is clearly illustrated, just open your mind here to see it. In fact the real issue is that problem children (any colour) usually lack the moral support of parents and live in dysfunctional homes, so the easily lesson is to teach parents to be better parents so instilling a better state of mind and so seeking to achieve more. Maori language, normally parents teach the kids a language, i.e. Chinese parents will teach English a Chinese that is what a responsible parent would do, but to "immerse" a poor kid entirely in Maori is not giving the best start in life. I am not saying that Maori should not be taught, but that this is not the place to entirely focus the kids future, besides the Maori taught now is not the original tongue, that is all but lost now, the current version is a mixed of all and new additives, old Maori can not even understand the new version as it is so different. Perhaps living in the past regardless is not such a good idea anyway, one does need to move on.
HOHA PART3
Posted on 23-07-2012 15:31 | By PLONKER
"Limit traveling overseas" simple, no one overseas speaks Maori, in fact not even 3% of New Zealand speaks Maori, so obviously the job opportunities are equally limited, think about it! The Courts, that just adds more cost to an expensive system already in place, what a waste of space that is. The self created necessity for Maori speakers in court is just "self justifying" and unnecessary job creation. New Zealand is changing and sadly the path now chosen is divisional, this same path creates preference and privilege for the few over the many and as such only leads to resentment. The end result will be revolution, maybe that sounds too much and to far fetched but if you were even a little worldly you will find that many a country on earth has been on this path and the end result is not good. Yes the new school is 'educating' the children there, but is that in the best interests of "the children" or the plethora of roaches around them? Research that objectively, I have and the conclusions are not looking that great as a result!
HOHA - PART1A
Posted on 23-07-2012 16:14 | By PLONKER
When one has a situation of funding for a specific group of individuals in a community and that funding does not have the same limitations of the general population then that is indeed "segregation with preferential benefits for the few", what else is it? Example the teacher ratio is better at all Maori Immersion Schools than the rest. Of course it looks like "Great work" but it is spoon feed, more funding so an advantage to a few above the rest. The rest are actually paying for it to their own detriment and without a vote on it either! Although the article says all is to "address the needs of Maori" the real question yet to be answered by you is: How is that to be achieved via this means?" In fact learning mandarin would be a whole lot more useful in this world and for the future, think about it!
HOHA - PART1B
Posted on 23-07-2012 16:15 | By PLONKER
"Segregation" in the dictionary states "creating separate facilities within the same society for the use of a particular group, the same thing actually happened in South Africa not so long ago. Being Maori (i.e. somewhere between 1/32nd - 1/4th or so) I am not Maori but was raised where most kids at school were Maori and many achieved a lot academically, there was little in Maori taught and that did not have any impact upon them, in fact even now they still think all of this treaty/immersion stuff is a waste of time and a handicap to their children being the best that they can be. Truth is all of this is just a part of a bigger scheme to create meaningless jobs paid for by real New Zealanders and otherwise there is no meaning to it at all.
HOHA - PART 1C
Posted on 23-07-2012 16:16 | By PLONKER
The reason Maori are having education problems is because of the lack of parental support and encouragement to learn and achieve, this actually is the same across all kids, just more so for Maori, teaching Maori to kids does not remedy that, it just creates more jobs doing things that are not necessary and contribute nothing to the long term future of the kids concerned.
IMMERSION
Posted on 29-07-2012 12:58 | By TERMITE
But of course the real question is "in what?" By the looks of it, it is in complete and utter luxury, generous funding, duplication of facilities that otherwise is not needed, preferential treatment for teh few.
Partiality and Prejudice
Posted on 29-07-2012 15:53 | By KAMIKAZE
Use as much flowery language and incessant spindoctoring as you like but if robust criticism of this stuff is denied publication then it defeats the purpose of the Fourth Estate.
IMMERSION IN WHAT?
Posted on 29-07-2012 21:28 | By PLONKER
Self gratification and indulgence, can not see anyone benefiting particularly from all of this. New Zealand as a nation will suffer and some as a result from having a few more pigeons randomly placing their mark but unable to contribute with a positive go forward. a bit like forgetting to take off the handbrake, ok for a while but soon it is buggered beyond repair!
KAMAKIZE
Posted on 31-07-2012 14:48 | By PLONKER
I think that your heading is not quite right 'partiality' is not all there, you forgot the "I'm" part. PS not "im" of course.
THE CHILDREN SUFFER THE MOST
Posted on 05-08-2012 11:25 | By TERMITE
One so often sees where the whims, desires and choices of a parent are placed upon the shoulders of a child to fulfil, the end result is that the child carry's that burden often for life. The burden here is that the chil's future and prospects are then limited in the "real world", but i guess if there are FINAL treaty settlemetns each 20-30 years as there has been for some 80 years now then there is like a inter generational guarantee of a job for a few anyway.
BOILING POINT!!
Posted on 06-08-2012 04:07 | By melting pot
WHAT A SHAME? WHAT A SHAME IS THAT - OUR children have to put up with people like you all @ yogi, carpedeum, tracey, termite, plonker, investigator etc!!!! Sound like some sad cruel people very far from opinionated people !!! Do you feel good failing these children/young adults before there lives have barely started? Instead of getting behind these kids and families and their willingness to seek knowledge and embrace their heritage. You want to put them down along with their parents and people who helped get them here. Do any of you even know any maori children or families? Would you even bother trying? Seems like your minds are made up. Pure racisim right there!!! Did any of you read the whole article? Looked into the school? The school/staff/students are bilingual and bicultural. Have you ever heard of an interacial relationship or family and friends? Check it out!("BIDOIS"-origin French) ("SINGH"-origin Hindi/Indian) Really termite? The real world? We're living it and so are these children they have a right to go to school with DIGNITY where they can LEARN, feel safe, and be PROUD of THEMSELVES and their culture just like you and i had the chance to do. Many maori grandparents/kaumatua/generations had their DIGNITY,CULTURE and RIGHTS stripped from them. Now their children/mokopuna want to learn in their native language and have a place to do so YOU say WHY, UNFAIR, NO! Really? Really tracey? Segregation from other children and religions? "MAORI" NOT a religion so don't go there. The children dont live at school you know! What a joke "segrgation by language" They do know how to speak english! The MAORI LANGUAGE/TE REO is open to the whole world to learn just like any other! The CHILDREN WONT get beaten for speaking any other language in school! The school is in TAURANGA, NZ!! Where are you? SPACE? @ Investigator! Please go talk to some teachers!!! Any but MANY teachers! Get a clue!!! MAINSTREAM- yes many children from numerous backgrounds/religions etc have, can and will succeeded here BUT NOT ALL! Sure learning starts at home but what about the parents who were failed by the same MAINSTREAM system? ONE WAY IS NOT NESSESSARILY THE BEST FOR ALL! Oh and incase you didnt know there is a big difference between CHILDREN who CANT learn easily and CHILDREN who DONT want to!!! SEGREGATION is from ignorant people like YOU! willing to push these children aside somewhere else as long as they can be accounted for and it seems as long as its not at a school they can identify with. SELFISH and CRUEL! Come on GET REAL!!! Are you people in this world? Is YOUR world really that prim and proper, that you cant see how others might struggle? Are you all saying you and everyone you've ever met loved school or felt it was a piece of cake? You dont know one drop out? Just because PEOPLE LEARN DIFFERENT IT DOEST MAKE THEM LESS!! This article was about CELEBRATING the opening of A LEARNING ESTABLISHMENT FOR CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULTS!!! A SCHOOL! Be it For or Learning in maori, pakeha, hindi, ALIEN! A SCHOOL!!! TE WHAREKURA O MAUAO!! THERE are no LIMITS WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF ALL CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!! KIA KAHA!! Learning the same as any other MATHS, SCIENCE, LIFE etc JUST IN MAORI!!!! GET A CLUE!!!! HAVE SOME FAITH IN OUR CHILDREN!!! GET out of your cramped, stuffy little cocoons and go meet/talk to some real people broarden YOUR LIMITED minds otherwise do as you have been and keep your ignorant, arrogant narrow minded thoughts to yourself and ruin your own children!!!! LEAVE THESE KIDS ALONE TO LEARN AND BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE!!!!!!!!!
Not sad or cruel
Posted on 06-08-2012 18:25 | By carpedeum
Sorry melting pot- but I am neiher sad nor cruel- please wake up and see that its parents attitudes in the home to education and learning which produce results ( or not) for all children.
PURPOSE BUILT
Posted on 10-08-2012 12:45 | By TERMITE
Looks flash, I wonder on a per capata basis how much it cost and so a comparison to 'other' schools can be made.
FREE LUNCH IN A PICNIC BASKET?
Posted on 15-08-2012 12:48 | By YOGI
The question is for who, I see that the Auditor General is to conduct a review of the "Picnic basket" case gravy train over the next five yuears then report to parliment. Like the answers are already obvious, why take five years to see what is already there.
WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD FOLKS & HOW NZ SHOULD BE TOO
Posted on 16-08-2012 13:03 | By POCO O POCO
Dennis Prager, - Principal at a High School in Toronto, addressing the school on the first day of classes in 2012 To: The students and faculty of our High School. I am your new Principal, and honoured to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people. I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in Canada have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country. First, this school will no longer honour race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower, leaky SE Asian refugee ships, or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognise, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is Canadian. This is a Canadian public school, and Canadian public schools were created to make better Canadians. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, religious identity through your school, you will have to go to another one. We will end all ethnicity - race - and non-Canadian-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of Canada. Everyone is equal, coast to coast, and this school will be guided by Canadian values. That includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorise clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes gender, race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness. Your clubs will be based on interests and passions - not blood, ethnic, tribal, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism - an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, sport, debating, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and many many more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in, are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you and that means you don't belong in this school. Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united Canadian citizens for more than 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. If you leave this school without excellent English-language skills, your teachers and I will have been remiss in our duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the Canadian employment market. You will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Canadians only speak English. But if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not the school for you. Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavour, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school. Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the "F-word," you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the "N- word," even when used by one black student to address another, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene, the educated and the non-educated. Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programmes. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attain it will be by earning it from their fellow students and teachers. One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight. Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school programme toward academics, scholarship, and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only, or primarily, a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian. We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky -- lucky to be alive, lucky to be well educated, and lucky to be a Canadian. Now, please stand and join me in singing, OH CANADA to the only flag in Canada. As many of you may not know the words, your teachers will gladly hand them out to you." QED
WHAT A POCO THAT IS
Posted on 16-08-2012 22:11 | By PLONKER
On the money, the New Zealand national anthem as writTen, perhaps all parties to the treaty should realise what the mother tongue is when one signs a deal with the queen, the flag as given to us by her majesty QV the accepted soveriegn of NZ and that include all Maori. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
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