April 18, 2017
Science shines for Puhoro students
A Massey University programme to help Maori get NCEA levels in science is changing the aspirations of many rangatahi.
Director Naomi Manu says about 170 year 11 and 12 students from nine schools in Manawatu, Otaki and Murupara are involved in the Puhoro academy.
They get weekly tutoring or mentoring sessions and once a term they have an experience day at the university where they are exposed to the relevant science for society.
She says without the programme it’s likely most of the students would have been directed towards an applied science programme.
"We said to schools let's put them into the external science programme, the more difficult science programme, and let's just support them and let's see where this takes them, so for many students this has changed the trajectory and for me that is extremely rewarding," Ms Manu says.
The challenge now is to find partners to give the academy secure funding.
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