Quality Assuring Mātauranga Māori Background Information

Key messages include:

• As caretaker of the NZQF, NZQA’s role is to ensure all qualifications are credible and robust meaningful and that there is continuous improvement in their delivery.

• MM EQA has been designed to look at how well mātauranga Māori qualifications and programmes are meeting the needs and aspirations of ākonga, their whānau, hapū and iwi.

• A developer or TEO may choose to “opt in” to MM EQA to seek the following: approval to develop and then list a mātauranga Māori qualification on the NZQF; mātauranga Māori programme approval and accreditation; or review of organisational educational performance and capability in self assessment.

• The criteria for listing a qualification on the NZQF, programme approval and accreditation and review of an organisation’s educational performance need to be met. MM EQA offers specifically kaupapa Māori designed tools and processes used to assess applications and/or evaluate performance.

• Extensive consultation and collaboration has been undertaken in the development of MM EQA to ensure its conceptual validity and alignment with ‘what matters’ for NZQA and developers, providers and the communities they serve.

• A mātauranga Māori quality assurance mark will be awarded to those mātauranga Māori programmes, which clearly meet all standard NZQA and MM EQA requirements and criteria.  The mark will provide assurances that a programme is highly likely to meet the needs and aspirations of ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi.

• Implementation of MM EQA will commence in late November 2011, with the managed introduction of MM EQA (Qualifications listing) and MM EQA (Programme approval and accreditation).  NZQA will begin accepting all applications for MM EQA (Qualifications listing), MM EQA (Programme approval and accreditation) and MM EQA (Performance) in April 2012.

• MMEQA is a framework for quality assuring mātauranga Māori qualifications and programmes of study on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. The MMEQA is a significant milestone for New Zealand Qualifications Authority toward delivering quality assurance processes and tools that recognise and value of mātauranga Māori.