Key shift 1#
Work reciprocally with diverse Pacific communities to respond to unmet needs, including growing and supporting Pacific bilingual and immersion education pathways.
What’s improving#
- Access to Pacific language pathways in early learning and schools continue to grow, supported by new bilingual and immersion services.
- More curriculum resources are being developed across Pacific languages, supporting culturally grounded teaching and learning.
- Engagement with Pacific families and community organisations is increasing through talanoa, workshops and local initiatives focused on language, wellbeing and transitions.
What’s next#
- Strengthening access to Pacific language pathways at all levels, particularly where gaps exist between secondary and tertiary education.
- Continue co-design with Pacific communities to respond to unmet needs and uplift language, culture and identity.
- Expand the availability and visibility of resources for learners, teachers and families in Pacific bilingual settings.
Key shift 2#
Confront systemic racism and discrimination in education.
What’s improving#
- Cultural capability and anti-racism professional learning continues to support teachers and leaders.
- Targeted PLD and refreshed wellbeing and behaviour frameworks are helping schools create more inclusive environments.
- More Pacific learners are accessing learning support, including special assessment conditions and specialist services.
What’s next#
- Build sector-wide confidence and capability to address racism and bias consistently and proactively.
- Improve the quality and availability of data on Pacific experiences of racism, bullying and safety.
- Make sure Pacific learners have equitable access to learning support and culturally safe environments where they feel valued and included.
Key shift 3#
Enable every teacher, leader and educational professional to take coordinated action to become culturally competent with diverse Pacific learners.
What’s improving#
- More educators are strengthening culturally responsive practice through Reo Moana PLD and frameworks such as Tapasā and ‘Afa.
- Schools and services are increasingly embedding Pacific values, cultures and identities into everyday teaching and leadership.
- Initial Teacher Education providers continue to integrate Pacific cultural competencies into their programmes.
What’s next#
- Embed Pacific-centred approaches as part of everyday teaching, leadership and system practice.
- Strengthen implementation support, including coaching and communities of practice to sustain culturally responsive pedagogy.
- Monitor Pacific learner progress within wider system initiatives to ensure equity of outcomes.
Key shift 4#
Partner with families to design education opportunities together with teachers, leaders and educational professionals so that aspirations for learning and employment can be met.
What’s improving#
- Programmes such as Talanoa Ako, NCEA mā le Pasifika and community-led initiatives continue to support families to navigate education and pathways.
- Pacific families are increasingly influencing education decisions through talanoa, advisory groups, school governance roles and community partnerships.
- Pacific learner and parent aspirations are clearer, though gaps remain between aspirations and available opportunities.
What’s next#
- Expand culturally grounded support that helps families understand pathways, plan learning journeys and access opportunities.
- Strengthen school-family partnerships through regular, equitable engagement anchored in Pacific values.
Key shift 5#
Grow, retain and value highly competent teachers, leaders and education professionals of diverse Pacific heritages.
What’s improving#
- The number of Pacific teachers, leaders and specialists continues to grow, particularly in primary and secondary education.
- Scholarships, PLD and Pacific language initiatives are supporting Pacific educators and bilingual teaching pathways.
- Pacific educators provide essential cultural leadership, strengthening belonging and achievement for learners.
What’s next#
- Grow the Pacific workforce across early learning, schools and tertiary education, so it better reflects the Pacific learner population.
- Strengthening pathways into teaching, leadership and specialist roles, including Pacific-language teaching.
- Improve retention by supporting culturally grounded leadership development, recognition and professional growth.
Mōhiohio anō
