Delivering a vision for Pacific education

Ōtāhuhu Primary School was a hive of activity on 21 July as the school community and invited guests gathered to celebrate the new Action Plan for Pacific Education, which was officially launched by Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa. 

The plan is a blueprint for transforming outcomes for Pacific learners and families, intended to drive systemic change in and across the education system. 

Pathway to change

In 2018 and 2019, as part of Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, many people participated in fono to help identify key changes needed in Pacific education. 

Through the fono series, Pacific learners, families, teachers, leaders and communities shared what matters to them in education: an education system that is free from racism; that values Pacific children, young people and families as leaders of learning, and supports them to feel safe, valued and equipped to achieve their education aspirations. 

The effects of Covid-19 have further emphasised the importance of access to education and meaningful pathways that lead to employment, learner and family wellbeing for Pacific communities.

The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030 was co-designed with Pacific communities with the aim of achieving the change needed. 

It builds on the Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017 (PEP). While funding individual initiatives to support Pacific success has had some positive results and has created pockets of good practice, the approach fell short of the system changes that were needed to address inequities for Pacific learners.

The Action Plan is the first step to map a more responsive way of working because it coordinates action across the Ministry and partner agencies and takes action to invest in innovative practices led by Pacific communities for Pacific communities.

The Action Plan

The Action Plan maps how early learning services, schools and tertiary providers can transform outcomes for Pacific learners and their families. It identifies five key shifts and a set of actions that are needed to achieve this vision:

• Work reciprocally with diverse Pacific communities to respond to unmet needs, with an initial focus on needs arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Confront systemic racism and discrimination in education.
• Enable every teacher, leader and educational professional to take coordinated action to become culturally competent with diverse Pacific learners.
• Partner with families to design education opportunities together with teachers, leaders and educational professionals so aspirations for learning and employment can be met.
• Grow, retain and value highly competent teachers, leaders and educational professionals with diverse Pacific whakapapa.

Resources, guidance and planning templates are available to help early learning services, schools, tertiary providers and families and communities implement the Action Plan.

• Watch the video outlining the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030(external link).
  
  
• Research to understand the features of quality Pacific bilingual education – Review of Best Practices report(external link).
  
  
• The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030 Supporting Research and Community Voice.
  
  
• Best practice for teaching Pacific learners – Pacific Evidence Brief 2019(external link).

Places of learning (from early learning through to tertiary) will be able to order copies of the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030 from Down the Back of the Chair shortly.

Community members can email pacific.educationconversation@education.govt.nz to get their copies or order translated copies.

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