Te Waharoa - more than meets the eye

Providers who want to offer students a foundation course to broaden their Matauranga Māori 1 can do so by teaching National Certificates in Te Waharoa (Level 2) and Te Ngutu Awa (Level 4).

Te Waharoa is a foundation or entry-level qualification. Depending on the standards chosen, credits gained can count towards mainstream qualifications, including NCEA. Te Ngutu Awa is a similar qualification, but at a higher level.

Generally, other qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) require that specific subjects are studied and standards achieved. However, Te Waharoa (Level 2) and Te Ngutu Awa (Level 4) are distinctive, in that providers have much more freedom about what they teach.

Keri-Anne Stephens is a Qualification Development Facilitator for NZQA's Māori Qualifications Services. She says, "The requirements for the qualification have deliberately been left open to allow providers with different expertise, training opportunities and locations to offer packages unique to them."

Out of the 80 credits that make up the National Certificate in Te Waharoa, 70 of those credits must be from within Field Māori, with the other 10 credits selected from anywhere on the NQF. No particular credits for Te Waharoa or Te Ngutu Awa are compulsory and so the provider can customise whatever is taught.

If Reo Māori and Pāngarau unit standards are achieved they can count towards the literacy and numeracy credits required for NCEA.

For more information on Te Waharoa and Te Ngutu Awa or to request a brochure, email Māori Qualifications Services at
mqs@nzqa.govt.nz. Alternatively, contact Keri-Anne Stephens directly at (04) 463-3127.

A sample Te Waharoa qualification, with a focus on Māori Performing Arts, is reproduced on page 8. On the opposite page the same sample form is left empty, so readers can try customising this qualification.