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National | Education

Report says schools' relationships with whānau are important

A report on the relationships between schools and Māori families by the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) has been praised by Education Minister Hekia Parata.

The Education for Māori: Relationships between schools and Māori whānau report released yesterday says good relationships between whānau and schools are an important influence in the achievement of Māori students.

“Parents and whānau have a critical role to play in their child’s education. We know that when whānau and schools work closely together, significant gains can be made in student achievement,” says Ms Parata.

According to the report six out of 10 whānau surveyed say they’re satisfied with the relationship they have with their school and that has been factor in the education of their children.

Ms Parata says this is a good start and there is already a lot of work happening to strengthen relationships between whānau and schools.

“Iwi education profiles have been created so that iwi and education providers can identify the biggest priorities for kids in the rohe and set clear steps to improve performance in that area.”

However, she believes efforts should be focussed on mainstream schools where 95% of Māori students in years nine to 13 attend.

“NCEA results are improving every year but there is still more to do to make sure all whānau have strong relationships with their child’s school,” she says.

The Minister has commended the OAG for its focus on the education system’s performance for Māori students, “By working together to build better relationships between whānau and schools, we can help all young Māori to achieve educational success and make a positive contribution to society.”