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The Muka Tangata Workforce Development Council will be closing operations from 19 December, and disestablished from 31 December 2025. The Food and Fibre Industry Skills Board will pick up its functions.

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Meeting considerations around te ao Māori in programme endorsement

Te ao Māori consideration was developed, as with the other considerations, to support equity for diverse learners. Muka Tangata has enjoyed supporting providers in this new function of programme endorsement.  

 

There are two parts to this consideration:  

  1. How does the programme encompass Te Ao Māori in its approaches to learning and assessment?
  2. How does the programme/your organisation support the promotion and normalisation of te reo Māori? 

WDCs have been developing mātauranga Māori guidelines that will underpin WDC mahi across all functions. WDCs are currently developing common ways of working and guidelines that support our endorsement function, that are aimed at giving providers consistency around WDC evaluations.

The table below shows the Muka Tangata guidelines we are currently using to evaluate Te Ao Māori considerations. 
Does the programme encompass te ao Māori in its approaches to learning and assessment?Does the programme / your organisation support the promotion and normalisation of te reo Māori?
Te ao Māori pedagogies are in place and evidence / information on how it will be embedded is provided.Parts of the content matter delivered in te reo Māori and / or full immersion / bilingual content.
Practices support and promote the sustainability of Māori resources, including but not limited to: people, taiao (environment), and tikanga (customs).Te reo Māori names and their origins are embedded in programme content.
Te ao Māori (including mātauranga Māori and te Tiriti o Waitangi) is incorporated through programme delivery.Tikanga practices built into the programme (but not supported with resources) i.e. karakia, mihi whakatau / pōwhiri, poroporoakī, graduation ceremonies.
Evidence of te ao Māori (including mātauranga Māori and te Tiriti) content being incorporated in the programme and content. We recognise your intent and progress on this journey.Kaimahi (and support positions such as kaumātua etc.) with adequate skills who understand te reo me ōna tikanga have been employed.
Māori history (which could include pūrākau / stories) pertaining to the industry is included in the programme and content.Te reo Māori is being employed through resources and other means.
Established relationships with Māori (hapū / iwi) who deliver te ao Māori content within the programme.Attempts made to provide te reo Māori PD, and opportunities to upskill staff / organisation / whānau / ākonga.
Inclusiveness regarding learning and assessing is mentioned, which includes Māori.A te reo strategy, policy or rationale exists and / or is emerging.
The provider has started to incorporate tikanga into their programme and practices, although still early in their journey.Assessments offered in te reo Māori.
Delivery and assessment methods are responsive to the needs of Māori learners.

Note: we encourage providers to continuously improve their participation in te ao Māori. The above criteria have been written in a manner that caters to a vast spectrum of capabilities within the food and fibre sector. The criterions should be used as guidelines only as we increase our capabilities and understanding of te ao Māori. Muka Tangata will consider the content of the provider when assessing this consideration.

 

Supporting provider’s te ao Māori journeys

We heard through our engagement and research that there is a spectrum of capabilities when it comes to te ao Māori and a lack of knowledge as to what models are out there. This is detailed in our report, Te Whakatōnga. In response to this, we developed a live resource repository that supports providers in implementing, increasing, and adopting te ao Māori approaches into training and learning. This resource repository is available here ›

 

Mātauranga Māori workshops 

Our Quality Assurance and Enhancement team will be holding a series of online professional development workshops which will include te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori. Click here to register.  

 

Read about our other considerations here ›

Read more about programme endorsement ›