An Exploration of Kaupapa Maori Policy and Practice in Tertiary Education Institutions in the Wellington Region

Abstract

This research investigates Kaupapa Maori policy and practice in tertiary education institutions in the Wellington region. The hypothesis is that low completion rates for Maori tertiary students may be affected by the way that Maori students are or are not supported at tertiary education institutions. The focus on Kaupapa Maori is used to highlight whether tertiary education institutions give support to their Maori students to live as Maori within the context of their study at tertiary education institutions. Six tertiary education institutions in the Wellington region agreed to participate in the research. The findings show that there is a level of discourse and concern from Maori academics regarding the spaces that have been provided for Kaupapa Maori to be recognised and practised in mainstream tertiary education institutions. This research investigates those spaces and where they exist in the institutions. It investigates what Kaupapa Maori means in the mainstream tertiary education institutions and how that affects Maori students. The findings show that Kaupapa Maori does exist in the institutions but its meaning is substantiated in different ways in the six respective institutions that participated in the research. A conclusion for the hypothesis for the research is that Maori senior staff need to be in place, and need to be involved in decision making in institutions. Kaupapa Maori and Maori aspirations need to have status and all staff need to have a commitment to supporting the aspirations of Maori students so that they can achieve completion. The way that those commitments are dealt with and the affects they have on Maori students are discussed in the discourse.