Pipiri 2003

• New qualifications for the Reo Māori media industry
• Ngā Manu Kōrero assessments
• East Coast providers trial Te Ngutu Awa
• Criteria for field Māori development
• New Māori Dance resource goes live on the web

New qualifications for the Reo Māori media industry

The first national qualification recognising the unique mix of skills required to work in the growing Māori language media industry has just been registered. The National Certificate in Reo Māori Media-Introductory Media Skills (level 4) requires graduates to have a fluency in te reo Māori and some core media and journalism skills.

Pioneering broadcasters and Reo Māori media practitioners designed this qualification primarily for those already in the industry. Whakaruruhau member Tawini Rangihau who has 15 years working in Māori language media says the establishment of these qualifications has been a long time coming.

"These qualifications set some standards for existing broadcasters and they give those who are keen on a career in Māori language media something to work towards" says Tawini.

Reo Māori media broadcasters Shane Taurima (Ruia Mai, Marae) and Jo Glenn (Te Karere) at a press conference in Wellington (2002).

National Diploma also in the pipeline

Reo Māori media experts are also close to completing a National Diploma in Reo Māori Media (level 5) that will need to be delivered and assessed predominantly in te reo Māori.

The Diploma will challenge fluent speakers of the language and require them to apply their language to a selected discipline such as TV, radio or journalism. Those who embark on a Diploma course will need to have achieved the National Certificate in Reo Māori Media (level 4).

The National Diploma is expected to be registered on the National Qualifications Framework by September 2003.

The proposed National Diploma in Reo Māori Media requires students to specialise in Māori language TV, radio or journalism.

Ngā Manu Kōrero

Māori Qualifications Service (MQS) staff have been working on an exciting initiative with the Māori Education Trust (MET) to award competitors at the National Manu Kōrero competitions with credits in Reo Māori. The national competitions are being hosted by Hato Paora College in Palmerston North this year (16-18 September).

Depending on the ability of the speaker, a competitor could earn level 2 or level 4 credits in Kōrero towards a range of national qualifications including the National Certificate in Māori (Te Waharoa), the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA), National Certificate in Reo Māori and the National Certificate in Reo Māori Media.

MQS and MET hope this assessment project will be extended to the regional Manu Kōrero competitions next year. For further information, contact Stephen Ihaka or Sharmaine Nolan. If you want to know more about this year's Manu Kōrero competitions, check out the MET website.

Lewis Whaitiri from Lytton High School in Gisborne strutting his stuff at Ngā Manu Kōrero (2002) in Christchurch.

East Coast providers trial Te Ngutu Awa

East Coast education providers are doing everything they can to harness the skills and talents of the local community and to build on those successes. So when the opportunity to pilot a new general Māori qualification called Te Ngutu Awa arose, Te Tai Rawhiti providers responded positively.

Te Tai Rāwhiti Polytechnic, Lytton High School and Tūranga Ararau from Gisborne along with Te Kura Ataarangi from Nūhaka have all agreed to pilot the National Certificate in Māori - Te Ngutu Awa (level 4) with support from the Māori Qualifications Service (MQS).

Te Ngutu Awa is a general Māori certificate that recognizes a broad range and depth of Maaori skills and knowledge. Some of the students who are aiming to achieve Te Ngutu Awa are graduates of Te Waharoa - the National Certificate in Māori (level 2)

MQS project officer Tania Saggers says all the providers have offered to support each other in this pilot. "The aim of the project is to award up to 80 students with this level 4 National Certificate in addition to the other national qualifications they are already working towards this year."

Those students who achieve Te Ngutu Awa will be a recognized at a special ceremony in Gisborne at the end of this year.

Māori Performing Arts is just one area in which the Gisborne students will achieve credits towards Te Ngutu Awa. Other subjects include Reo Māori, Hauora and Computing.

Criteria for field Māori development

In the last issue of Te Huarahi MQS announced that new criteria had been set for the development of new unit standards and qualifications in field Māori.

Here are the criteria that staff will use to decide what field Māori projects will be undertaken each year. Project proposals must:

• meet Māori educational needs and aspirations
• align with government goals and priorities for Māori education
• be consistent with Qualifications Authority requirements and strategic direction
• demonstrate a need within a specific industry or sector
• identify who will benefit and how
• describe positive outcomes.

Submissions can be made by Whakaruruhau, individual experts, iwi, hapū and MQS staff. Proposals for 2004/2005 need to be received by MQS no later than 30 October 2003.

For further information on the criteria contact Sharmaine Nolan. For project ideas and proposals, contact Stephen Ihaka.

New Māori Dance resource goes live

The eagerly-awaited New Māori Dance assessment resources are now on the NZQA website. The site includes assessment schedules, tutor lesson plans and a list of recommended videos, dance kits and music resources.

This assessment resource has been designed to help providers assess students against the ten New Māori Dance unit standards (level 1-3) that were registered on the National Qualifications Framework earlier this year. Credits awarded from New Māori Dance can contribute to a range of national qualifications including Te Waharoa and the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA).

New Māori dance celebrates the fusion of traditional Māori performing arts with new dance trends like hip-hop. Most secondary schools and kura are already automatically accredited to offer these standards. Check out the NZQA website for a list of accredited providers.