Iwi help students, but background key, say Rotorua teens

Western Heights High School's Gracen Lines (left) and Brooklyn Tomo provide their thoughts on the Ministry of Educations iwi profiles. Photo/Stephen Parker

Maori students in Rotorua are positive about the Ministry of Education's latest iwi profiles but say there is always room for improvement.

The Ministry has released the profiles, summarising achievement, school leaver destinations and qualifications, and participation rates broken down by iwi.

The profiles include statistics for students in the iwi's rohe, or region, as well as for students which affiliate with an iwi around New Zealand.

For students in the Ngati Whakaue area, both iwi-affiliated and not, the numbers are positive with 85.7 per cent of Maori in the area obtaining NCEA Level 2 or above by age 18. This compares with 74.3 per cent of Maori in New Zealand.

Both Gracen Lines and Brooklyn Tomo agreed the increase in the number of Maori with Level 2 or above was a positive.

Gracen said her iwi, Ngati Whakaue, provided a lot of support to students including at her school, Western Heights High School.

"There's a camp every year in the holidays and they push who you are as a Maori student and leadership," she said.

"Doing it has made me realised how much the iwi supports us kids and helps us engage in learning."

Brooklyn, who identifies with Ngati Ngararanui, said while he thought the profile was an accurate representation, success wasn't just about the numbers and achieving Level 2.

"Getting university entrance isn't always necessary to succeed. People succeed in other things when they leave school."

The pair said outside influences also affected achievement. Gracen plans to go to university and said her family had always pushed her to do that.

She said students of all nationalities and backgrounds dropped out.

"It all comes down to the opportunities and the background of the family."

But Brooklyn said friends of his had still gone on to do well in life after leaving high school early.

"For me, I know some mates dropped out in Level 2, that's because they are told in their families Level 2 is all you need."

They said Western Heights High School also helped with Maori achievement as it used different teaching styles for different people.

"The school is going in a positive direction trying to accommodate a lot bigger range of learning styles," Brooklyn said.

"Our teachers are taking courses learning different ways of how to teach and engage with students."