Young children getting a strong start in education are at the heart of Government agencies and iwi working together in the Waikato.

A space to promote early learning will be a feature of the annual poukai that are taking place at marae around the Waikato region, including at Ngātira Marae, Putaruru this weekend.

“Poukai Pēpi promotes the value of early learning and encourages parents to give their babies a strong start in learning and development through quality early childhood education” said Ministry of Education Deputy Secretary for Early Years, Parents and Whānau Rawiri Brell.

Poukai Pēpi was launched in October by Waikato-Tainui, the Ministry of Education and Te Puni Kōkiri at the Waahi marae poukai. The pilot early learning promotion programme will run until the end of 2013.

“It’s about creating an atmosphere for mokopuna and their whānau to celebrate learning, while having fun at poukai” said Mr Brell.

Waikato-Tainui Chief Executive Parekawhia McLean said poukai is a tradition dating back to the 19th century. It is an annual series of visits by the King movement to marae around the Waikato region.

At each marae children will have a space where they can do art, hear stories, play games and other activities while their whānau learn more about the importance of early learning, said Ms McLean.

“Waikato-Tainui has over 64,000 tribal members and thousands attend poukai. We aim to reach more than 200 people at each hui; parents, whānau, tamariki and kaumātua.

“Since the pilot was launched, mokopuna have been enjoying early learning activities based on our identity, language and culture; and whānau have been getting information about early learning they might otherwise never have had”.

Mr Brell said this way of working is an excellent example of Government agencies and iwi working together in innovative ways to reach a common goal.

One of Government’s Better Public Service (BPS) targets is that 98 per cent of new entrants will have participated in quality early childhood education (ECE) in 2016. Poukai Pēpi contributes to the target.

“Right now 95.7 per cent of all young children are participating in ECE. For Māori, it is 92.3 per cent. So we still have work to do.

“Regular participation in quality ECE increases a child’s chance of future educational success. It’s also linked with better social skills and fewer behavioural problems so this kind of programme is a positive thing for our children, families and communities”.

Notes for editors

Details about upcoming poukai locations and start times can be found on the Waikato-Tainui website www.waikatotainui.com

Poukai Pēpi is delivered by Waikato-Tainui iwi, with support from the Ministry of Education and Te Puni Kōkiri.

An evaluation runs alongside the pilot programme to ensure it is reaching families and helping them to understand that early learning can benefit their children in a variety of ways.

Early learning means the learning that happens from birth, and outside of a formal ECE setting. Every experience helps to create new connections, or strengthen existing connections, as a child’s brain develops.

Contact:
Kiriwai Mangan
Communications adviser
Waikato-Tainui
07 858 0446
027 839 9803
kiriwaim@waikatotainui.com

Ruth Laugesen
Senior Media Advisor
Ministry of Education
04 463 7069
Media.team@minedu.govt.nz

Verona-Meiana Putaranui
Communications account manager
Te Puni Kōkiri
04 819 6069
027 499 5850
putav@tpk.govt.nz