Move to increase Māori participation in school board elections
Photo:
RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The National Iwi Chairs Forum has launched Whakapapa Decisions - a campaign to increase Māori participation in the upcoming school board elections.
Maxine Graham, the lead technician for the Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group, which leads education responses for the Forum, said school boards are where many of the most critical decisions about tamariki education are made, from how schools embed te ao Māori into the schooling experience, to how learning support and cultural safety are delivered, every day.
"We're amplifying the call for whānau, hapū and iwi to be part of those decisions, not just by voting, but by standing for election, facilitating conversations and adding critical information to their kete wānanga," Graham said.
"This is about changing outcomes for our tamariki by ensuring Māori voices are strong and visible in the places where governance decisions are made."
The campaign officially launched its visual phase last week at the National Iwi Chairs Forum in Tūranga/Gisborne on Thursday 3 July, following on from engagement at the Ako Ararau Māori Expo.
The campaign includes digital resources, community kaupapa, visual stories and wānanga to build awareness and confidence among potential Māori nominees, voters, and school communities. It aims to strengthen whakapapa-driven leadership within school governance so that Māori identities, experiences, and aspirations are supported throughout all levels of the education journey.
The Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group will present at the New Zealand School Boards Association national conference in Ōtautahi/Christchurch this week, advocating for more Māori representation at the governance level.
A free online open-access session providing information about standing for election, supporting candidates, and why participation matters will also be open for whānau on 14 July.
"We know that when Māori are involved in decisions about education, outcomes improve. Whakapapa Decisions is about reasserting our role as kaitiaki of learning and ensuring kura and schools are places where our tamariki and whānau can thrive as Māori," Graham said.
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