Iwi leaders tell government: we want co-designed industry training, hands off the ITOs!
1903 hui 1.jpg
Representatives from 28 iwi gathered last Thursday and agreed the proposed Reform of Vocational Education was being
rushed through, and called on the government to extend the consultation period and engage with Māori to involve them in
the changes.
The Reform of Vocational Education Hui was hosted by the Waikato Tainui Research and Development College and follows the
signing of a Kawenata between Tainui and the 11 ITOs, almost exactly one year ago, to work together to get more iwi
members into on-job training.
Iwi leaders at the hui collectively agreed to oppose the disrespectful 6-week consultation period, and supported the
role of ITOs in retaining the oversight of industry training.
The message to the Minister from iwi and ITO Māori partners was: Extend the consultation period and let ITOs continue to
arrange on-the-job training, because this system is working for Māori.
Māori community leader Maanu Paul, who was at the meeting, said the tight timeframe to respond to the reforms was
unreasonable and unfair. As a Treaty partner, Maori should have better representation at the tēpu on the kaupapa, Mr
Paul said.
“We want to work with the government to co-design an educational system that works for Māori. Minister Hipkins said he
wanted to hear from iwi, but so far, the government’s own poor attempt to consult with iwi was a hastily arranged hui in
the Far North with only three days’ notice. That fails to meet Crown’s obligations under te Tiriti o Waitangi.
"This is one of the biggest opportunities we have to reform education in Aotearoa, and get it right for Māori and all
New Zealanders.”
Ends