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What are the proposals?

The first proposal is to create an enabling, high-level Wānanga sector framework in primary legislation that outlines provisions that apply across all the Wānanga, such as the characteristics of a Wānanga and the process to establish and disestablish a Wānanga.

The proposed Wānanga sector framework would enable particular administrative settings to be varied in how they apply to each Wānanga (such as their purpose, functions, governance arrangements, interventions, entity status and accountabilities) through Orders In Council(OIC). Until changes are made through an OIC for an individual Wānanga, by default the current provisions of the Act would apply.

These changes to the administrative settings of Wānanga will support a flourishing Wānanga sector and set strong foundations for the future relationship between the Wānanga and the Crown.

What is an Order in Council (OIC)?

Secondary legislation is law that is made by someone other than Parliament. It is made under a power that Parliament has formally delegated in a particular Act. An OIC is a type of secondary legislation that is made by the Executive Council presided over by the Governor-General. In essence, it means that changes within the scope of the relevant primary legislation have been delegated.

How is the proposal different from the current situation?

Currently, as TEIs Wānanga are subject to the same or similar statutory framework, as universities and Te Pūkenga. These settings constrain the capacity of the Wānanga to express their tino rangatiratanga.  This proposal would create a new and different administrative framework for the Wānanga that is fit-for-purpose and recognises their unique role, functions and contributions to tertiary education.

More information on the status quo and problem definition can be found in the accompanying discussion document.

Why are you proposing these changes?

The TEI settings (as they appear in both the Education and Training Act 2020 and Crown Entities Act 2004) are problematic in various ways for the Wānanga, including that the settings:

  • have not been designed with Tiriti/Treaty partners and do not adequately reflect the relationship between kāwanatanga and tino rangatiratanga as expressed in Te Tiriti/the Treaty
  • are based on the university model and provide for a Crown accountability model, which does not reflect the unique role, and collective mana, of the Wānanga in te ao Māori
  • are prescriptive and constrain their capacity to express their tino rangatiratanga in terms of governance
  • do not reflect the individual mana of the Wānanga; and
  • do not reflect an appropriate balancing of interests in the context of the Māori-Crown relationship.

What is the relationship between this work and the wider Māori Medium Education and Kaupapa Māori Education (MME/KME) work?

The Ministry and Te Pae Roa (a Cabinet-appointed Māori Medium Education Oversight Group) have been developing options for a new system-wide framework, with the goal of increasing the numbers of tauira Māori in MME/KME early learning and schooling to 30% of Māori learners by 2040, and growing pathways in tertiary education. Cabinet will be considering next steps on this work programme in October.

The Ministry's work with the Wānanga has progressed separately to the wider MME/KME work. The MME/KME work has a similar kaupapa, but work to look at the administrative settings with the Wānanga is further advanced and is based on their specific history and operating context. Further announcements on the MME/KME work are expected soon.

I am a tauira/whānau of tauira of a Wānanga – how will this proposal impact me?

For students of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, we would expect that their day-to-day student life would not be affected by these proposed changes.

Wānanga will remain an approved education provider in New Zealand with their qualifications on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework. As such, your qualifications will still be domestically and internationally recognised for quality assurance purposes, and you will still be eligible for student loans and allowances (if you meet the other criteria for eligibility).

In the medium term, a flourishing Wānanga sector will have positive flow-on effects to tauira, kaimahi, kaiāwhina and the founding iwi of Wānanga.

I am a kaimahi/kaiāwhina of a Wānanga – how will this proposal impact me?

We do not expect that kaimahi and kaiāwhina of Wānanga will be impacted by this proposal in the short-term. In the medium term, a flourishing Wānanga sector will have positive flow on effects to tauira, kaimahi, kaiāwhina and the founding iwi of Wānanga.

Will there be additional funding for Wānanga?

Additional funding for Wānanga is not being considered as part of these proposals. However, developing a funding framework that best supports educational delivery and outcomes of the Wānanga is part of a broader joint work programme between the Ministry and the Wānanga.

What does this proposal mean for the Crown’s relationship with other tertiary education organisations?

The changes proposed will only apply to the three currently legislated Wānanga (Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa), and only at the point that individual wānanga choose to progress proposals (OICs) to be reconstituted under the proposed Wānanga Sector Framework

We know that there are private training establishments (PTEs) that are iwi/Māori affiliated and make an important contribution to Māori tertiary education. Some may be interested in becoming Wānanga. We are interested in hearing from these PTEs how the proposals may affect them, and their broader aspirations.

How does this proposal link to the companion proposal to reconstitute Te Wānanga o Raukawa?

The proposal for reconstituting Te Wānanga o Raukawa sits underneath the Wānanga sector framework in secondary legislation. It is an individual expression of the kaupapa and aspirations of Te Wānanga o Raukawa through an Order in Council.