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Maori children are still not achieving
as well as others in education.
While this is not surprising, Hekia Parata says
a new assessment tool should help teachers
to better understand their needs and find those who are falling
through the cracks sooner.
Hekia Parata offered the media
a chance to have a cuppa and chat with her today
to explain the latest statistics on education,
though it was all old news for Maori.
Now we know if things are going well at an early childhood level or not,
and at primary school and the other levels,
it's now about what can be done
to achieve better results.
From Northland to Southland,
early-childhood to secondary education,
data have been gathered from all iwi, from all demographics.
Here are the findings;
It's not just hearsay, these are the actual figures
so we are now all clear about what the situation is.
The minister hopes that within four years,
85% of students will achieve NCEA Level 2
in order to make a living for themselves.
She says a new assessment tool
will allow teachers and families to identify
where students are struggling.
It's a tool to help them see how well a students is going,
or how much they are struggling.
It will enable teachers to utilise their skills
in providing a way to support the students to achieve their goals.
Te Waharoa Ararau is the name of the assessment
for Maori-medium education,
and some schools have already implemented it.
The Ministry of Education says it's a resource
to help teachers help students.
It's a support resource that means
teachers can discuss their students' progress with other teachers
to see how they can all be successful,
and it will help to show the parents how their kids are doing.
Secondary schools have the option of implementing the tool,
but it will be available to all in 2015.
Irena Smith, Te Karere.