Client: Aotearoa Institute

Date: December 2005

Author(s): Kel Sanderson

Working from BERL research completed for a review  by the Tertiary Education Commission of strategic relevance of courses provided by Te Wananga o Aotearoa (TWoA), Kel Sanderson prepared a brief of evidence.  The brief was presented to a Waitangi Tribunal hearing at Te Rapa on 30 November 2005, and contained the following main points. 

1. The most efficient means of improving the socio-economic wellbeing of Maori is to develop social infrastructure such as education and employment opportunities within high Maori population regions and by taking a racially inclusive approach in the implementation of this. 

2. TWoA's work makes a major contribution to New Zealand's development and wellbeing, and hence fulfills many of the key objectives of the Government's Tertiary Education Strategy. 

3. TWoA is recruiting mature people who had achieved little literacy and numeracy in their formal education.  TWoA embarks them on learning pathways, and these people expand the workforce; increase their skills, productivity and incomes; grow the economy; and strengthen the mainstream education sector.

BERL#4435