March 06, 2017
Fisheries putea for literacy and numeracy
The new chair of Te Putea Whakatupu Trust says a past focus on tertiary education means not enough attention has been paid to the needs of tamariki Maori who come out of school without even the basics for getting a job.
The trust was set up with $20 million from the Maori fisheries settlement to promote education and training, especially for jobs in the fishing industry.
After a legal tussle its board has been reconstituted to focus on the needs of urban Maori.
Chair Willie Te Aho says literacy and numeracy is where it can be most effective.
"Twenty years ago it was investing in scholarships and getting people in the industry. I don't think it's necessarily needed now that theres more than enough support in those areas. We need to target in tamariki and start at a younger age with our investment rather than capturing those that are at varsity or at the end of their varsity learning because I think the investment is better spent on our tamariki," he says.
Willie Te Aho says Te Putea Whakatupu may need to co-investment with government and non-government partners to be most effective.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE TE AHO
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