Taramoeroa said the combination of online study and wānanga had been integral to her success.
“I absolutely love wānanga because we come together and support each other through any doubts about our study journey,” she said.
“Through this programme I can stay in the Far North, work, and study at the same time, without needing to leave my babies with whānau or losing my income.”
Michael Moeau (Ngāpuhi), a 55-year-old father-of-two, works at Northland College in Kaikohe supporting a young person and is part of cohort two set to graduate in 2026.
Moeau said while he had initially felt apprehensive about the programme, he’d found comfort and support from the wānanga, his whānau and peers.
“I’m going to be honest, the mahi is challenging and not easy at times, especially the online papers,” he said.
“But with the ongoing support from pastoral care, fellow students, and our lecturers, the journey has become an enjoyable experience.”
The Te Hiku Bachelor of Teaching Primary programme stems from the Ministry of Education’s Te Hurihanganui initiative, launched in 2021, to tackle inequities and racism in education.
After consultations with Te Hiku iwi from 2020- 2022, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Takoto took the lead in Te Hurihanganui, with support from Te Rarawa, to empower Māori learners, whānau, and communities to achieve equitable, educational outcomes.
This resulted in the creation of the two-year, ‘earn-while-you-learn’ Te Hiku Bachelor of Teaching Primary degree, in collaboration with the University of Waikato and Poutama Pounamu.
Ngai Takoto Kaihautū o Ako–education manager and iwi pastoral support, Mere Henry, said many Te Hiku schools continued to face ongoing challenges, such as the difficulty of finding relief teachers due to teacher illness or school vacancies.
Through this degree, Henry said future teachers could remain connected to their communities, while education challenges could be addressed in a long-term, sustainable way.
“Having a local education pathway like the Te Hiku Bachelor of Teaching Primary is essential for training people from home to become educators, as it promotes a sense of belonging and cultural connection among learners, their whānau, and the community,” she said.
“The iwi pastoral support, provided through peer support and iwi guidance, is crucial for helping students stay focused on their goal of becoming skilled educators.”
Jaqi Brown, Kaiwhakahaere – Manu Tute, Joint Work Programme at Te Hiku Iwi Development, was seconded to the Te Hurihanganui Project in 2023 and helped form part of the rōpū (group) which advocated for the degree.
Brown said the community and iwi had asked for increased access to quality degree level programmes which would meet Te Hiku whānau aspirations of having local teachers for their tamariki.
“This model acknowledges and values our learners’ workplace, cultural and community engagement as prior learning,” Brown said.
“This needs to be considered across not only education, but other platforms as we look to grow our workforce’s capability and capacity.”
University of Waikato Professor Dr Mere Berryman ONZM and senior research officer Jay Haydon-Howard are at the forefront of delivering the Te Hiku Bachelor of Teaching Primary.
Berryman (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, and Ngāti Whare) acknowledged the skills and knowledge local people brought and said she and Haydon-Howard were proud of the commitment students had shown.
‘’Amongst the identified range of priorities of Te Hurihanganui, we found demand outstripped supply of qualified teachers in the Far North and the need for access to localised quality teacher education was identified,’’ Berryman said.
For anyone interested in learning more about the programme, a hui will be held in Kaitāia (or via Microsoft teams) at 5pm on October 30 to meet with Berryman and her team.
For all inquiries or to be sent a hui invitation, contact Jaqi Brown at jaqi@tehikuiwi.com or Mere Henry at mere.henry@ngaitakotoiwi.co.nz .
