Te Akatea is a national organization supporting Māori principals in education, established in 1990 with Ministry of Education backing. Its main goals include increasing Māori leadership roles, providing professional development, and advocating for Māori students' educational successes. The organization also emphasizes the importance of cultural identity and tailored learning approaches for improving educational outcomes for Māori learners.

1. Te Akatea
Robert Clarke
Principal
Whau Valley School NZ
Leanne Otene
Principal
Manaia View School NZ
Te Akatea NZ Maori Principals
Association Executive.
www.matsiti.edu.au/events/leaders

2. Mihi - Formal Maori acknowledgement to:
- the Higher Being
- the place in which we meet
- the land
- those passed
- then the people of the land here today

3. Te Akatea is a metaphor for contemporary Māori
leadership in kura (schools) promoting, developing
and enhancing it’s potential to increase the capacity
and capabilities of its members.
This they do with brave, stoic and relentless
determination!

4. Te hitori o Te Akatea, history of Te Akatea
- Established in 1990
- Support from Ministry of Education with Seed funding.
- Whakaaro (Call for) to provide support for Principals who
were Maori
where Maori Language was the medium of instruction.
- National Body formed for the express purpose of growing
cultural and professional leadership capability.

5. •
Today
- Te Akatea is for all Maori who hold “Leadership Roles” in
Education.
- Ministry of Education now instructed to rebuild trust with the
Sector including Te Akatea to recognise the mana, knowledge and
experience of Maori Principals in being part of the solution to NZ
failing tail.
- Te Akatea part of the solution in attending to the significant
numbers of Maori Children not succeeding.
- Te Akatea is the National Body that support our nine Regional
Associations “Aka”.

6. •
Te hitori o Aka Tokerau, history of Aka Tokerau
- Largest Principals Organisation in Northland
- Successful Annual Conference “Engaging Maori Learners” for Maori and Non
Maori Educators from across the Sector.
- Local PLD (Professional Learning Development) to address local problems with
local solutions.
- Aspiring Maori Principals Advocacy - 100% success rate with Middle Management
going on to Principal-ship
.
- Advocacy, Support for members
- Advice and guidance to Boards of Trustees (Governance Body of a school).
- Critical confidential “Sharing Time”

10. Nga whainga matua of Te Akatea / Aka
Main goals of Te Akatea and Aka
- Increasing numbers of Maori in Leadership roles
- Professional Learning Development provision
- Advocacy and Support
- Building and sustaining leadership
Participate in Government decision making on the initiatives
developed to improve the opportunities and outcomes for
Maori Children.

11. He nama mohiohio matauranga Maori, Maori statistical information
http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013
Education Counts, data from 2012.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
# of SM # of Maori % Maori
Overall 2793 254 11%
Male 778 68 11.4%
Female 2015 186 10.8%
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT
# of MM # of Maori % Maori
Overall 9018 947 9.5%
Male 3231 287 11.2%
Female 5787 660 8.7%
TEACHER
# of teachers # of Maori % Maori
Overall 36885 3464 10.6%
Male 8961 916 9.7%
Female 27924 2548 11%
PRINCIPALS
# of Principals # of Maori % Maori
Overall 2405 329 7.3%
Male 1236 131 9.4%
Female 1169 198 5.9%

12. Ref; Ministry of Education,
New Zealand Principal's
Federation, & Te Akatea,
2013
MACs - Nationwide Professional Development Initiative
The basis of the Māori Achievement Collaborative for
Te Akatea and NZPF (New Zealand Principals Federation)
is to ensure ALL Educators are providing our Maori Students
with the following;
- Education that enhances what it means to be Maori
- Access to language, culture, marae, tikanga and resources
- Guarantee the absolute right for an education that fits Maori
learners
- Promote self learning, strong secure relationships, cultural
identity and Whanau (Family) Centred practise equally as
important as academic achievement.

13. MAC’s The basis of the Māori Achievement Collaborative
for the Ministry of Education is the following;
- To improve education outcomes.
- Improve foundation education.
- Implement tailored and coordinated approaches.
- Develop a 21st century learning system.
- Transform the performance of primary and
secondary education.
Ref; Ministry of Education, New Zealand
Principal's Federation, & Te Akatea, 2013

14. MAC in action
• A change to the hearts and minds of principals – a
learning journey.
• Importance placed on relationships, connections,
commitments and responsibilities.
• Courage, honesty, trust, respect and commitment.
ALL OF WHICH WILL IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL
OUTCOMES FOR OUR MAORI STUDENTS

15. He punaha, a system we are planning to develop
So what is next?
Initiative Proposal #1 MAP - Nationwide Maori
Aspiring Leaders Programme
Initiative Proposal #2 Increasing numbers of
Maori Students having instruction in Te Reo
(Maori Language)

17. When our children succeed
we will have succeeded.

18. Te whanaungatanga ki waenganui I a Aka Tokerau me MATSITI
We acknowledge, respect and we genuinely treasure the
relationship we have with MATSITI and also the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Island Principal Association.
How can we build on our shared goals and similar
aspirations so that we can compliment each other?