Partnership opens pathways for Māori leadership in STEMM

Kaihautū Aria McKee with rangatahi from Tawa College and Hutt Valley High School.

“Pūhoro has always been bigger than participation,” says Kemp Reweti, manahautū (chief executive) of the Pūhoro STEMM Academy.

“While increasing Māori representation in science, technologies, engineering, mathematics and mātauranga Māori (STEMM) is important, the kaupapa is ultimately about building confidence, identity and capability.”

Thanks to the commitment of the Ministry of Education, the programme has grown rapidly. During this growth, they have seen that when rangatahi are supported to succeed academically, they naturally begin to step into leadership.

“We want to ensure that our rangatahi not only enter these fields but feel empowered to transform them.”

A partnership blooms

The launch of the partnership between Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Pūhoro STEMM brought together rangatahi, iwi, educators and partners at Te Herenga Waka Marae on Friday 24 April to celebrate the arrival of the kaupapa in the Greater Wellington region.

Pūhoro STEMM will soon begin its programme at eight partner schools: Newlands College, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Porirua, Wairarapa College, Wainuiomata College, Tawa College, Kuranui College and Hutt Valley High School, with strong uptake anticipated in the region in the next two to three years.

The partnership with Te Herenga Waka will support delivery of the programme in the region and connect rangatahi with tertiary study opportunities, including new on-campus premises.

The launch event provided rangatahi with their first introduction to the Pūhoro kaupapa, before in-school visits commence this school term. Pūhoro kaihautū helped them explore the local pūrākau of Ngake and Whātaitai through a hands-on STEMM activity using Maqueen robots and micro:bits – small programmable robotics and coding tools – to bring key moments of the story to life.

Waireka Collings pictured alongside rangatahi from Wairarapa College.

Growing Māori leadership

Kemp says Māori leadership is unique in that it is grounded in whakapapa, collective wellbeing and a deep relationship with the taiao.

“It means decisions are driven by outcomes that benefit people, communities and future generations. It also means mātauranga Māori is recognised as a legitimate and valuable knowledge system alongside Western science.”

Nicola Nelson, dean of Te Wāhanga a Manaia – Faculty of Science and Engineering at Te Herenga Waka, says it’s important for leadership to reflect the community.

“We want to grow leaders in science and engineering to contribute to our society’s needs including finding solutions for our future, and we need to work hard to attract more diversity.

“Partnering with Pūhoro STEMM means we can support Māori students to understand the pathways open to them, as well as to grow our capability to provide an environment for Māori students that supports them to thrive.”

The new on-campus premises are an important part of this, creating opportunities for connection and a stronger sense of belonging.

“Having Pūhoro STEMM on campus here means we can get to know our incoming cohorts of students, providing connection and community, and demonstrating by our actions that a university is a great place for future leaders to stretch themselves within,” says Nicola.

A system rooted in collaboration

Pūhoro work closely with kura, whānau, iwi, tertiary providers and industry to create a clear pathway for rangatahi from secondary school through to further study and into careers.

Each part of that system plays an important role – schools provide the foundation, often the first place where rangatahi begin to see what is possible for them, whānau provide support and aspiration, tertiary partners open doors to further education and industry helps connect learning to real-world opportunities.

“​Our programme is intended to complement the curriculum and spark an interest in STEMM that ensures our rangatahi continue to engage with these subjects throughout secondary school,” says Kemp.

“The biggest difference comes when rangatahi can see themselves reflected in what they are learning and feel supported to succeed without having to compromise who they are.”

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, Pūhoro say their aspiration is to see rangatahi who have come through the programme leading and advocating in STEMM.

More importantly, they want to see rangatahi shaping the system and creating spaces where Māori can thrive, where mātauranga Māori is at the centre and where future generations know they belong.

“Success for us is when this becomes normal; when Māori leadership in STEMM is no longer the exception.”

A personal journey through Pūhoro

Education Gazette asked new local kaihautū and Pūhoro STEMM Academy alumnus Aria McKee to reflect on her journey and her vision for the future.
Read the full Q&A.