Wānanga Enabling Framework

The Education and Training Amendment Act 2023 establishes a new Wānanga Enabling Framework.

Wānanga play a unique role in the tertiary education sector because of their ‘for Māori, by Māori’ approach, commitment to and involvement with the protection and revitalisation of te ao, te reo and mātauranga Māori.

The previous settings for wānanga did not reflect the unique role wānanga play and did not enable them to express their rangatiratanga.

What the framework is

This Act amends the Education and Training Act 2020, establishing a new 'enabling' framework for the wānanga sector.

This framework creates new fit-for-purpose administrative settings for wānanga to recognise their mana, rangatiratanga and unique role. It was co-designed with the three wānanga: Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

What the framework does

The framework:

  • clearly sets out the characteristics that define the wānanga as a collective
  • creates new and more appropriate arrangements for the establishment and disestablishment of Wānanga
  • enables Wānanga to:
    • reconstitute themselves as a bespoke Crown entity wānanga (Category A wānanga), retaining primary accountability to the Crown and setting out their own unique purpose, functions, and governance arrangements in an Order in Council (OIC) or;
    • convert to a non-Crown entity wānanga (Category B wānanga), with primary accountability to iwi, hapū, or a Māori organisation but retain some accountability to the Crown still, as well as setting out their own unique purpose, functions, and governance arrangements in an OIC
  • sets out the requirements for what must, and may, be covered within an OIC; and
  • provides for appropriate transition arrangements.  

More information

The Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 3) – Education in New Zealand

Education and Training Amendment Act 2023 – NZ Legislation(external link)

Information release: Wānanga Enabling Framework – Education in New Zealand

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