Māori education provider TupuOra has launched a tutoring programme, Tuku Marumaru for years 7 to 13 at kura kaupapa or warekura.
The Hamilton-based education company says expressions of interest are now being accepted for kaiako, kura and ākonga seeking support or extension through specialised te reo Māori-based tutoring to upskill in numeracy and literacy.
Tuku Marumaru was developed in response to the Loss of Learning Initiative when Education Minister Jan Tinetti said there was a need for initiatives to support students to accelerate their learning.
Tuku Marumaru is a personalised tutoring programme matching kaiako and specialist tutors with ākonga in years 7-13 at kura kaupapa and wharekura who want to level up on their reo and mātauranga.
“At TupuOra we decided to create a resource that not only helps our ākonga familiarise themselves with their education but fosters the confidence within them to want to learn and level up their understanding through their first language,” TupuOra mana whakahaere Te Waipounamu Teinakore says.
First of its kind, the programme focuses on upskilling ākonga Māori in specialised subjects through te reo Māori.
Building confidence in tamariki
The programme focuses on preparation for assessments, aligning with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (TMoA) while complementing classroom learning experiences. Focus areas include: te reo rangatira, tikanga ā-iwi (te takanga o te wā), pāngarau (tauanga), pūtaiao, hangarau, hauora, ngā toi (toi ataata, toi puoro, ngā mahi a te rēhia, te ao haka and te reo Pākehā.
In addition to tutoring support, registrants gain full access to the literacy support programme Te Tuhirau, a reo Māori resource created by TupuOra. Tuku Marumaru is a combination of one-on-one tutoring, small group wānanga, and online resources delivered by the qualified teachers within the TupuOra staff base.
“A key part of our engagement with ākonga Māori is that we match them with tutors who are not only matatau in their areas but who can work closely with kaiako and whānau to address the specific learning needs of the ākonga,” Teinakore says.
The programme spans a minimum of 10 weeks, with one session per week ranging from 45 minutes to one hour, with flexible delivery modes including face-to-face or online during or outside school hours.
“We want to build confidence in our tamariki and their education and we can do so by working alongside them and empowering them through mātauranga,” Teinakore says.