Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Te Koutu has received a New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) grant of $25,390 to buy new sports
uniforms for the school. The Kura cares for 245 students, of which 168 currently participate in sports, and 145 play
multiple sports, including badminton, basketball, hockey, kī-o-rahi, netball, rugby, rugby league, table tennis, tennis,
touch rugby, and waka ama.
Spokesperson Zara Morisson commented, “To encourage and promote participation in sports and recreational activities for
our tamariki, we need to provide them with new sports uniforms. We are extremely appreciative of the huge contribution
from NZCT towards our new sports uniforms for our kura. We are excited to have sports uniforms with a united look
amongst all sports codes that will clearly identify our tamariki in the community as representing Te Kura o Te Koutu. We
can’t wait to see them wear the sports uniform with confidence and pride. The sports uniforms will support our kura’s
aim to encourage and promote students participating in sports for not only physical wellbeing, but more importantly -
especially during the COVID-19 pandemic - for the benefits in the children’s mental, social and spiritual wellbeing.
“The new sports uniform will help bring kotahitanga to our kura, local community, and our wider Rotorua community. The
sports uniforms will provide opportunities for Te Koutu children and their whānau to come together for sports events and
continue the important values of the kura, such as being able to use and promote te reo Māori freely and to enhance
mātauranga Māori in new environments. Thanks to NZCT’s support, we are looking forward to helping our children pursue
their goals of sports participation, fun, and even greater success.
“Sport is also an important vehicle and environment to use and promote te reo Māori. This is an important expectation of
our parents and our kura community. This year we collaborated with two other Kura Kaupapa Māori and one Kura-ā-iwi to
form a boys and a girls rugby team. In the past students from Te Koutu have played rugby for Western Heights High
School. However, this year we wanted to provide the opportunity for our students to play in a rugby team that maintained
our kaupapa Māori character and championed te reo Māori.”