Education Curriculum- Principles of Te Tirti O Waitangi

Running head: EDUCATION CURRICULUM
Education curriculum
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

EDUCATION CURRICULUM
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Table of Contents
Part 1: Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the status of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand..............2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
Unique status of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand.......................................................2
Three principles of te Tirti o Waitangi........................................................................................2
Relevance of these principles in the education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.......................4
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................4
Part 2: Applying the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi....................................................................6
Introduction..................................................................................................................................6
Critical analysis of a strategy which has improved the outcome for the Maori learners.............6
Benefits and challenges...........................................................................................................7
Example of ways in which the strategy can be applied in teaching practice...............................7
Benefits of each example.........................................................................................................8
Chosen strategy as an example of a principle of te Tirti o Waitangi...........................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................9
References:....................................................................................................................................10

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Part 1: Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the status of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand
Introduction
The field of education has come to occupy a significant position within the lives of the
individuals in the contemporary society. It has aimed to become inclusionary in nature whereby
the individuals belonging to every field of life is sought to be included within the formal
education process (Moewaka Barnes, Eich & Yessilth, 2018). The purpose of this paper is to
understand the curriculum of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand. To this extent, reference
has been made to the te Tirti o Waitangi and its principles.
Unique status of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand
The country of New Zealand is unique in the sense that it is the habitat of many indigenous
population of the world. The government has sought to retain the unique characteristics of such
indigenous population instead of trying to amalgamate them in to the mainstream population
(Jennings, 2017). The Maori has an unique status in New Zealand because it is the indigenous
population of the country. They are the first natives of the land and hence, holds the original
customs and traditions of the country within themselves.
A group of people who identify themselves as the Maori are known as the tangata whenua
within Aotearoa New Zealand. Their identity is central to the national identity of New Zealand
itself (Came et al., 2019). However, it is important to note that while the Maori group of people
make a huge impact on the national image of the country, they make up only about fifteen
percent of the entire population of the land.

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Three principles of te Tirti o Waitangi
te Tiriti o Waitangi, also known as the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840, between the
Maori chiefs and the representatives sent by the British Crown, who acted as colonial masters of
New Zealand (Boyd et al., 2017). This document outlines the relationship between the
government of the country and the Maori people. In this context, it is important to note the
different principles which are mentioned within the document.
The first principle mentioned is that of partnership. This principle outlines the need of the
government to work in a harmonious manner with the Maori people, the Iwi and the hapu, who
are the indigenous people of the country (Jenkin, 2017). The main objective of this principle is
that the standard of living of the people of such groups need to be improved so that they are able
to live a well-satisfied life. The aspect of decision making, especially in the field of education,
need to be done together.
The second principle outlined is that of protection (Santamaria, Santamaria & Singh, 2017).
This principle aims to provide a safeguard to the individuals of Maori in the context of the
British Crown. Since they are the indigenous population, there is the fear that effective education
might not be provided to them. Thus, in order to ensure that the children of the Maori group
receives the same level of education as the children of the main stream population, the educators
work extra hard to impart wisdom to the Maori people, while keeping their culture intact.
The third principle as outlined in the te Tirti Waitangi is that of participation (Came et al.,
2019). This principle is effective for the field of education. It states that equal opportunity would
be provided to the indigenous people and the main stream population to participate in the
education process. Decision with respect to curriculum and its development would be taken after
careful consultation with everyone involved.