<h2>In a first for New Zealand education, a cluster of Northland schools now has its own Rumaki and Reo Rua facilitator.</h2>
<p>Whangarei Intermediate School teacher Neke Adams has taken on the role to support the Te Puawai cluster’s kaiako Māori to become digitally immersed in their classrooms.</p>
<p>The position was jointly created by the Te Puawai schools and Taitokerau Education Trust as part of the trust’s successful Digital Immersion Programme, and is funded by Refining New Zealand.</p>
<p>Taitokerau Education Trust aims to raise achievement levels by providing teachers with professional development, and making personal-use devices accessible to students from lower-income households.</p>
<p>Taitokerau Education Trust Executive Officer Liz Cassidy-Nelson says: “We want to ensure our programme is responsive to every student’s needs.</p>
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<p>“Schools within our cluster have a high percentage of Māori students, so delivering the programme in Te Reo is essential if all students are to benefit.”</p>
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<p>Currently there are no local Māori language resources available to Rumaki and Reo Rua classes in Te Taitokerau.</p>
<p>Neke says: “We want to start something. The ultimate goal is to get every teacher within our cluster collaborating in the Māori digital space.”</p>
<p>Neke has been surrounded by Te Reo all her life. However, becoming a teacher of the language has been a personal learning journey, she says.</p>
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<p>“Home spoken Te Reo is different to educational Te Reo. When it came to my teaching, I had to learn more words to complement the language that I already had.”</p>
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<p>Neke’s ultimate wish is for every New Zealand student and teacher to know the basics of Te Reo so they can converse in simple sentences.</p>
<p>There are currently 925 students participating in the trust’s Digital Immersion Programme.</p>
<p>Taitokerau Education Trust receives no Ministry of Education funding for roles such as Neke’s.</p>
<p>“We are fortunate to be supported by a number of generous corporate sponsors, including Refining New Zealand, our founding partners Northpower and Northpower Fibre, and Amokura Iwi Chief Executives Consortium,” says Liz.</p>
<p>Amokura Iwi Consortium CEO and Taitokerau Education Trust deputy chair Rangimarie Price says the Rumaki and Reo Rua facilitator role aligns with the objectives of the Amokura Iwi-led economic growth strategy, He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga.</p>
<p>“We want to provide a future-focused education that is proven to meet the learning needs of Māori students,” says Rangimarie.</p>

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