TIPENE co-principal Nathan Durie says the school’s reopening marks a new era of relevant and inclusive education for Māori boys.
After 25 years, the former St Stephen’s School has reopened as a charter school, welcoming 42 Year 9 students—exceeding its initial target of 30.
Durie says the success of kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa proves that Māori can shape their education, and TIPENE is following that model.
With te reo Māori now more prominent, he anticipates further developments as the school roll expands to 250–300 students in the future.
“This is really about me saying, I think we need to really consider how we deliver boys education in this country differently, and in particular Māori boys education. There’s a real genius, we see it in their cheek, we see it in their humour, we see it in their cunningness sometimes to get out of work, and we also see it in their ability in the sports fields, in the arts areas. We need to ensure that the systems we put in place, starting with people, have a belief that our kids can really excel,” says Durie.
