From disengaged to dedicated: cultural funding key to college’s shift

Friday, 4 July 2025

Parent-teacher interviews held at Porirua College last week had the biggest attendance the principal has ever seen.

A decade ago, the college reported struggling to engage with parents to keep their kids in class.

But on Thursday, students discussed their credit achievements from literacy, numeracy and other subjects, while parents listened seriously.

To Ragne Maxwell, who has been principal for nine years, it reflected students believing in themselves as learners – and driving that, was a school commitment to provide a culturally connected curriculum.

“I've seen an absolute transformation in the work ethic of the students and their commitment, and also the degree of connection the whānau have with us,” she said.

For their young people to learn “how to walk within fa’a Samoa inside school” took an enormous amount of organisation and a high level of knowledge and skills by people who could lead and teach it, Maxwell said.

“It is connecting school and community and young people within that cultural space which you simply can't do as part of ordinary school life.

“It really is going above and beyond.”

For the predominantly Māori and Pasfika cohort, the curiosity and pride in learning about their culture was evident in more than half of the school taking part in Te Kiwa Nui polyfest, rehearsing throughout the term and break. It also reflected in the academic results they were achieving across subjects.

Since the beginning of 2024, Porirua College took part in a trial to fund community education roles.

The Community Liaison Role (CLR) trial recognised work already being done by kaiako (teachers) and funded several roles at schools with a time allowance and a salary payment of $1000 per year.

Kaiako reported on average spending 12 hours per week on community liaison mahi, when the time allocation for the role was on average 1.6 hours a week.

An interim report found indications of student feeling an increased sense of belonging within their kura (school) and and qualitative data showed reports of more regular attendance and improvements in academic performance.

Having recognition of the work already being done was “really important”, Maxwell said. But the remuneration was “a drop in the bucket”.

Vitoria Ape, who is head of the faculty of languages and taking part in the trial, said the funding allowed her to do more and fund things like catering for students to come to rehearsals outside of term.

She would do the work anyway, but “every little bit helps”, Ape said. “You do it for the love of the students, if I wasn’t going to step up and do it, who would take it on?”

Having an ava ceremony at the beginning of Samoan Language Week allowed students to learn and take lead, while parents from Samoan group supported them.

It involved the board of trustees and senior leadership team.

The students were enthusiastic and asked for the ceremony to be done again.

Sitting in Samoan class, Shekinah Sofai, 16, said it was important to her to take part in cultural events like Te Kiwa Nui for her family. “It’s showing who I am,” she said.

Matthew Mafuolo, 16, also said it brought fun, excitement and joy to his family.

“It’s representing and showing where you come from … Not many kids are able to do that and I’m pretty grateful we get the opportunity.”

Despite the positive impact, Maxwell feared funding would be discontinued.

“We're seeing the funding for everything Māori and Pacific being taken away at the moment, and it's so short-sighted.”

Education Minister Erica Stanford declined to comment while the the trial was still under way.