NZQA and Māori PTEs - building a quality relationship

Of the country's 830 private training establishments (PTEs), 163 identify themselves as Māori PTEs, and more than half (52%) of all qualifications completed by Māori are earned at PTEs.

Carl Ross, Group Manager Māori Provider Development and Support

Seven Regional Facilitators, each from their local iwi, conduct visits throughout their regions, offering advice, support and feedback about how NZQA can best meet their needs. This service is supplied to PTEs free of charge.

The Regional Facilitators have now been operating in the field for 15 months - advising and supporting 163 Māori PTEs and three wananga.

To enhance positive relationships with the Māori community, the Regional Facilitators work collaboratively with iwi, trust boards, community-based programmes and local Marae.

Carl Ross, Group Manager for Māori Provider Development and Support, says feedback from the Māori community has been positive and centres on three main areas:

A recent NZQA survey confirmed that providers want help in lifting their capability and capacity to deliver education.

"There are indications that Māori learners are circulating on a somewhat repetitive treadmill of learning with little upward movement to higher levels and educational goals," says Carl Ross.

The Regional Facilitators initiative is a two-year pilot and Facilitators report that the first 15 months have been both challenging and rewarding.

Hinemaua Rikirangi-Thomas, Regional Facilitator for Waikato/Rotorua and Tauranga, says she has seen Māori providers take on self-evaluation with a vengeance.

"Through making improvements they are increasing the strength and quality of their organisations."

She says Māori PTEs are survivors of government change and are used to having to just "get on with it".

"They are completely committed to Māori in education, and people getting employment to sustain themselves and whanau," Hinemaua says.

PTEs manage to offer a unique environment that caters to the needs of Māori where students feel comfortable and supported in their learning environment.

"Not only do we see learning and employment outcomes achieved, but also the emergence of more confident young Māori with identity, more positive attitudes and brighter prospects for the future."

Lhi Te Iwimate, another Facilitator in the North Island, says work required with PTEs ranges from in-depth reviews of their quality management systems to clarification of requirements.

"Most of the PTEs I work with are surprised to find that they are not meeting requirements and genuinely concerned to ensure they comply."

A survey of providers currently working with Regional Facilitators highlighted an 82 percent satisfaction rating with the relationship between the Māori community and NZQA. This was a marked improvement on a similar survey carried out in January in which NZQA scored a 69 percent satisfaction rating.

Regional Facilitators report a parallel positive change in the attitude of providers towards the adoption of quality systems and the importance of audit.

Much of this, says Carl Ross, is down to the commitment and passion Regional Facilitators have in supporting Māori providers.