More than 1700 early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers will gather at Mercury BayPark on Monday for the launch of the new Māori local curriculum.

The “highly anticipated” Te Tai Whanake ki Tauranga Moana Te Ao Māori local curriculum has been developed through a collaboration by Ngāti Ranginui Iwi, Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi and Ngāti Pukenga Iwi in partnership with Tauranga Moana schools.

The gathering will include board of trustee members and presiding members along with Kaumātua, and invited dignitaries.

Minister for Education and Children Jan Tinetti will join the teachers on this Tauranga wide Teacher Only Day, which is the second Curriculum Refresh Day provided by the Ministry of Education for 2023.

This date has been approved by the Ministry of Education to replace the November dates gazette for all other New Zealand schools.

The gathering of most teachers from across Tauranga Moana is unprecedented and recognises the mana attached to this taonga to be gifted by Tauranga Moana Iwi to all schools and kura, says Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School principal Henk Popping.

“The difference between this and previous curriculum development is that this Tauranga Moana local curriculum has been Iwi led not directed by schools or the Ministry of Education.

“It is complex in that it has been developed through a collaboration by Ngāti Ranginui Iwi, Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi, Ngāti Pukenga Iwi with Tauranga Moana Schools for the benefit of all.”
Henk says it has been developed for teachers in mainstream, bilingual and Māori Immersion settings and levelled (in poutama format) from early childhood education through to year 13.

He says it is also location based to suit the needs of teachers in specific locations in Tauranga Moana.

The project is led by a kaitiaki governance group made up of Kāhui Ako Lead Principals, Iwi Education Managers, Project Leads and Kāhui Ako Across School Teachers, and is chaired by Henk.

Henk explains that it’s clear at the outset, that iwi did not want to be “dial a pohiri” or “the salad dressing” in such an important endeavour.

TECT and Bay Trust have provided funding over three years to facilitate the project which has required extensive consultation, planning and website development.

The gathering on September 18 will see each iwi share their segment of this digital curriculum resource and instruct the assembled teachers on how to use it in their educational settings.

“It’s anticipated that this digital curriculum, hosted by each iwi, will be an enduring resource to be treasured not only by future generations of students but by the wider community and visitors to Tauranga Moana.”