Te Arahou o Aotearoa - Māori Achievement Collaborative

28/09/2026

Ngā mihi nui ki a Waatea News for sharing the MAC story and the findings of the recent NZCER evaluation.

"New independent research has found the Māori Achievement Collaborative is delivering strong and sustained results for ākonga Māori, school leaders and wider school communities — despite Crown funding for the programme ending last year."

Read the full story: https://waateanews.com/2026/09/25/maori-achievement-programme-delivers-research-finds-strong-gains-for-akonga/

23/09/2026

We are thrilled to share with you today the launch of independent research confirming that the Māori Achievement Collaborative (MAC) is transforming outcomes for ākonga Māori.

New evaluation from New Zealand Council for Educational Research - NZCER researchers Jackson Rowe-Williams and Nicola Bright has given the Māori Achievement Collaborative a top rating and the results tell a powerful story:

- 96% of tumuaki say MAC helped normalise te reo me ōna tikanga Māori in their kura
- Attendance in MAC schools has climbed from 54.95% to 65.2%, well ahead of the national Māori average
- 79% say ākonga Māori are succeeding as Māori, with real gains across the curriculum

The impact is being felt across more than 500 schools and 156,000+ ākonga, with the ripple effects reaching whānau, kaiako and communities across Aotearoa.

Funding ceased at the end of 2025. The evidence says it shouldn't have.

Read the full report and see what's at stake: NZCER Evaluation Report: https://www.mac.ac.nz/nzcer-mac-evaluation-report-2026

Tukua ki te ao kia rere, kia tīna (tīna) haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

14/09/2026

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2026 | Ake, Ake, Ake | A Forever Language

This week we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and the 2026 theme, Te Reo Towns; celebrating the communities who have kept te reo Māori alive and inviting all of Aotearoa to play a part in helping it flourish into the future.

For MAC, this kaupapa resonates deeply with the mahi we do alongside kura and tumuaki across Aotearoa. Schools are an important part of creating the communities where te reo Māori can be heard, valued and lived every day.

We see the power of the small, intentional actions that happen in kura; strengthening te reo Māori, creating culturally affirming learning environments, supporting kaiako to grow their confidence, and working alongside whānau and communities.

Te Reo Towns reminds us that every kura, every classroom and every community has a role to play.

Whether your kura is reclaiming te reo, growing its use, or has carried it proudly for generations, every step matters. Every conversation, every waiata, every mihi, every word spoken and every opportunity created for our tamariki contributes to the future of te reo Māori as a forever language.

At MAC, we are proud to walk alongside kura on that journey.

He reo, he taonga.
Ake, ake, ake.

10/09/2026

We are so proud to see our Kaihoe Mātauranga Kim Nikora and Brenda McPherson speaking at the ICP Leaders Connect Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau next week!
Kim and Brenda will be presenting "Te Arahou o Aotearoa: Leading Education from a Māori Worldview" on Wednesday 16 September, 2:10pm–2:55pm, Room 516.

If you're attending ICP, we'd love to see you there.

Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei.
Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

07/09/2026

A small snapshot of special moments at our Regional Wānanga held in Taranaki last year, and a glimpse of what awaits us at our MAC Hui ā Tau in Oketopa.

It's been quite some time since the MAC Kaupapa has visited Taranaki as a national rōpū. We are humbled and excited to be welcomed by Te Kāhui o Taranaki for our MAC Hui ā Tau 2026.

We now have less than 15 spaces left. Open to all tumuaki, kaiako, kaimahi and whānau of kura from around the motu! If you wish to join us on this experiential wānanga you'll find registrations and more information are on our website:
https://tearahou.co.nz/hui-a-tau-2026-taranaki

31/08/2026

Tōku reo, tōku ohooho,
Tōku reo, tōku māpihi maurea,
Tōku whakakai mārihi.

We are looking forward to having Dr Ruakere Hond (Taranaki Iwi, Ngāti Ruanui) join us as our Keynote Speaker at our MAC 2026 Hui ā Tau in Taranaki next month.

Nau mai, haere mai - spaces are limited, registrations and more information can be found on our website. www.tearahou.co.nz/hui-a-tau-2026-taranaki

23/08/2026

Te Arahou o Aotearoa warmly congratulates Dr Claire Coleman and the Aotearoa Educators Collective AEC on the launch of "A Vision for Education in Aotearoa New Zealand."

This is a pivotal vision for our education system, naming what many of us have long believed: a bicultural curriculum grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, real equity of outcomes for learners, a broadened curriculum oriented toward human flourishing, educators trusted to lead with professional judgement, and education understood as a shared public good.

This work speaks directly to the kaupapa we champion through MAC and Te Whare Tapu o te Ngākau Māori, and we were privileged to be in the room for its launch.

The AEC should be very proud; this research is already gaining international recognition, and rightly so. We welcome it as a genuine, timely contribution to shaping the future of education in Aotearoa.

Ngā mihi nui, Dr Coleman, Rose Hipkins, and the AEC Action Group.

Download the full report via the AEC Substack here: https://zurl.co/4fG0H

19/08/2026

Our friends at Brainwave Trust Aotearoa are hosting a fabulous event, Building Resilience in Tamariki and Adolescents: What's Needed?
Facilitated by Dr Hinemoa Elder, this panel brings together leading voices in neuroscience, health, child development, and clinical and community practice to explore what it takes for tamariki and rangatahi to thrive.

Seats filled fast, but a waitlist has just opened. Tāmaki Makaurau whānau, click the link below to join the waitlist.

Friday 11 September, AUT, Auckland. Free entry

Find out more and join the waitlist here:https://zurl.co/fEXKh

Panel Discussion: Building Resilience in Tamariki and Adolescents — What’s Needed? Hosted by Brainwave Trust Aotearoa & Auckland University of Technology (AUT)

18/08/2026

Kua hinga te tōtara haemata i te wao nui a Tāne!
Te Kepa Takataka-ō- Rangi Stirling

For generations of Māori educators and tauira, Te Kepa was a formidable presence: uncompromising in his expectations, deeply committed to the survival and advancement of te reo Māori, and determined that Māori children should be able to succeed as Māori.

His contribution to Māori education stretches back half a century. Alongside his late wife, Pani Takawhenua Waipapa Stirling, he helped establish the Māori education pathway at Ngā Tapuwae which developed into Te Reo Rua o Ngā Tapuwae and ultimately the independent Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae.

Te Kepa was also a recognised authority in te reo Māori and tikanga, contributing his knowledge across education and wider Māori life. His standing as an educator and community leader was recognised in the 2005 New Year Honours, when both he and Pani Stirling received the Queen’s Service Medal for Public Services. He will return home to Raukōkore, within the rohe of Te Whānau a Apanui.

(Obituary copied from Pūkāea)

28/01/2026

Te Arahou o Aotearoa Trust is proud to announce the appointment of Leanne Otene as our new Tumu Whakarae - National Director.

With more than 33 years in principalship and three years as National President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation, Leanne brings deep leadership experience, strong advocacy, and a wealth of sector knowledge that will significantly strengthen our kaupapa.

Leanne’s lifelong commitment to educational excellence, cultural integrity, and culturally grounded leadership aligns closely with the values of Te Arahou o Aotearoa. Her mahi has consistently focused on ensuring every kura is a place where rangatahi thrive, feel confident in who they are, and are supported by sustainable, culturally responsive leadership.

We are honoured to welcome Leanne into this role and look forward to the impact of her leadership as we continue to support and uplift educational leaders across Aotearoa.

Nau mai, haere mai e te rangatira

www.tearahou.co.nz

Pictured: Leanne Otene, Tumu Whakarae - National Director with Hoana Pearson QSM, Te Arahou o Aotearoa Chairperson