Apple and Te Pūkenga partner up to empower Māori and Pasifika
New Zealand's largest tertiary education provider Te Pūkenga has joined forces with Apple to address the technology inequality Māori and Pasifika students face.
The technology giant is expanding its REJI (Racial Equity and Justice Initiative) programme originally meant for the United States, to Aotearoa.
The programme was originally launched in 2020 to address systemic racism and bridge the digital gap for communities of colour.
Now it wants to do the same for the country’s traditionally underprivileged communities.
The company had previously committed $161 million and it has now announced it is doubling that initial commitment to $322 million.
The partnership with Te Pūkenga will help upskill approximately 30 educators (kaiako) in 10 schools across Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.
Teachers will receive training in iOS app development, prototyping and design to help them create a curriculum around digital media development, computer programming/coding, and user experience methodologies.
Te Pūkenga chief executive (tumuaki) Peter Winder said the partnership is big step forward for Māori and Pasifika learners.
“This program draws on the strength of our national network representing the country’s largest training organisation to engage the power of Apple technology in promoting change,” said Winder.
Schools and teachers involved in the program will also receive ongoing assistance as well as device grants.
'Equity takes initiative'
Chief Executive of Te Pūkenga, Peter Winder. (Source: Supplied)
Winder said he hoped the collaboration would create equity by helping address intergenerational consequences suffered traditionally by underserved communities.
“One of the key obstacles is access to hardware, to bandwidth, to the experience that simply opens the doors,” said Winder.
“Not only do we get access to state of the art kit and technology – it trains teachers to open the doorway and to make sure the Māori and Pasifika youth we’re engaging with can see a real future for themselves in tech.”
Māori currently make up 17% of Aotearoa's population, yet they represent a mere 4% of the workforce in technology-related fields. Similarly, Pasifika communities, comprising 2.8% of the population, also face significant underrepresentation.
'Breaking the cycle'
Student using iPad in schools. (Source: istock.com)
Te Pūkenga believes partnerships like this that will help break the cycle of access.
“New Zealand has had a profound equity challenge across the whole of the education sector for a very long period of time,” said Winder.
“If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’ll keep getting what we’ve always got.”
It is a notion Apple agrees with. Racial equity and justice initiative director Alisha Johnson Wilder said by teaming up with Te Pūkenga, they hope to reduce those barriers.
“We’re excited to partner with Te Pūkenga and support their efforts to train and equip educators to help achieve education equity for Māori and Pasifika communities of Aotearoa.”
Wilder said by focusing on eliminating barriers to access early in life, educators can help unlock the true potential of learners and set up pathways for the future.
