In a first for Wanganui kohanga reo, 16 young women have graduated with a Level 3 Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care from private training establishment Training For You.
Their graduation took place at Wanganui's oldest kohanga, Te Heti Te Kohanga Reo in Hinau St, on Friday. The graduating kaiako and kaiawhina were from Te Heti, Mangawhero and Putiki Wharanui kohanga reo.
In addition to the 16 graduates, six others gained units toward the certificate, and may choose to complete it in future.
The training is an addition to their existing skills in Maori language and tikanga Maori, and training provided by the Aotea District kohanga reo movement's three-year Whakapakari course.
Te Heti administrator Lisa Reweti said the seven graduates from her kohanga wanted more training to get extra confidence in their work, and they got it. Many of them were younger, and valued learning about child development, communication and behaviour modification skills.
At Wanganui's oldest kohanga reo, with a roll of 63 children, Te Heti staff had a lot to live up to.
"We just want to make sure that we're keeping up to date with education. It's changing all the time," Mrs Reweti said.
She's rapt with the results.
"They're sure of the decisions they're making on behalf of the children. Staff meetings are much more productive, because they're really thinking about the overall education of the child."
The young women spent many hours at home working on the course, and talked to each other and adapted what they had learned in the classroom. Some had done no education since leaving school, and all enjoyed it.
Trainer Rachel Smith said the certificate would give the women a solid foundation in early childhood education skills. They could build on that to study for diplomas and degrees, and several said they wanted to do so.
Their course was done mainly by correspondence, with two hours a week of input from Ms Smith and many hours of study at home. The units could be done and marked in Maori or English.