Under the Education and Training Act of 2020, school boards have responsibility to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi by ensuring its plans, policies, and local curriculum reflect local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori, and achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students.

To give effect to this, Aquinas has created a new Senior Leadership position to promote tikangaMāori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori. The role was awarded to existing staff member, Matua Tuwharetoa Hapi, who took up the mantle of college Pou Arahi Mātauranga Māori at the start of this term.

He will spearhead work to ensure Aquinas policies and teachings integrate Mātauranga Māori - traditional knowledge of Māori, including the Māori worldview and perspectives, Māori creativity and cultural practices.

Matua Tuwharetoa is well-suited to the task. With expertise in Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori, his leadership skills range from captaining the 2022 NZ Māori Senior Tāne Hockey Team to helping his rōpū Te Hekenga Ā Rangi reach the finals of last weekend’s national Kapa Haka festival Te Matatini.

Matua Tuwharetoa's new scope of work includes strengthening relationships with iwi, mana whenua and whānau, improving outcomes for all students. He also leads the Aquinas Te Reo Māori Department, which is now a stand-alone faculty.