University Entrance recognises learning in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa subjects

Students can now achieve University Entrance on the Māori medium pathway through the inclusion of subjects and standards from the Māori medium curriculum, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, in the approved subjects list.

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is the foundation curriculum document for Māori medium education. It outlines the core learning and competencies of Māori medium students, including the skills and knowledge required to enter university and follow chosen careers.
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa subjects are broad and differ from those based on The New Zealand Curriculum.

The Ministry of Education developed a suite of new Level 3 Te Marautanga o Aotearoa achievement standards which became available for schools/kura and students to use this year. Concurrently the Ministry and NZQA jointly developed a proposal to align subjects and Level 3 standards from Te Marautanga o Aotearoa with the University Entrance approved subjects list, and sought feedback on the proposal during April and May. The majority of responses to the consultation supported the addition of the proposed new subjects and standards to the list.

NZQA deputy chief executive assessment, Kristine Kilkelly, says the alignment of
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa subjects and standards with University Entrance ensures that the arrangements for the award of University Entrance are fully consistent with the equal status of both national curricula.

“Students on the Māori medium pathway, including students currently studying these subjects, will now be eligible to have their achievements count towards University Entrance,” she says.

Ms Kilkelly says courses delivered in a kaupapa Māori context are aligned to the principles and intent of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, from which the new Level 3 subjects and the associated standards are derived.

Students undertaking their learning within a kaupapa Māori context will be undertaking standards as part of coherent learning programmes aligned to the principles and intent of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. For this reason, only these students can be awarded the six unique Te Marautanga o Aotearoa subjects on the approved subjects list.

Summary of the changes

Six unique subjects have been added to the approved subjects list:

• Hauora (Health)
• Ngā toi (Arts)
• Ngā mahi a te rēhia (Performing Arts)
• Ngā toi ataata (Visual Arts)
• Ngā toi puoro (Music)
• Tikanga ā iwi (Social Science)

Comparable subjects have been brought together and renamed:

• Technology/ Hangarau
• Mathematics/ Pāngarau
• Science/ Pūtaiao

Relevant Level 3 Te Marautanga o Aotearoa achievement standards have been added to 17 existing subjects on the list.

More information is available on NZQA’s website at www.nzqa.govt.nz(external link)