He is now a member of Te Rōpū Whaiti, the working group convened by the Ministry of Education to progress a refresh of that document. The new curriculum will be based upon the teaching and learning framework, He Tamaiti Hei Raukura, and will be the next iteration of an authentic Indigenous curriculum.

Working alongside Dr Tabitha McKenzie from Te Puna Akopai, as well as Hineihaea Murphy and Awhina Gray from Haemata Ltd, and Dr Tony Trinick from the University of Auckland, and the Ministry, Rāwiri aims to strengthen Māori-medium education to allow all ākonga (students) the best opportunities in life.

“The framework we are using, He Tamaiti Hei Raukura, is made up of four essential pou [pillars], which aim to make it clear, simple, and reflective of the things happening within Māori-medium education, highlighting the things we value and we don’t want to leave to chance for our learners.

“One of the pou reiterates that ‘the child is not just the child’—they come with whakapapa and with tīkanga. Yes, the ākonga is an individual, but they should never be dislocated from who they are within their whānau, hapū, and iwi context.”

Rāwiri has seen a push within the education system towards individual pursuit in the past 10–15 years. “This has dislocated the learner from who they are. He Tamaiti Hei Raukura looks to bring balance back to that space for ākonga and kaiako [teacher] alike.”

The other pou are focused on the learner’s role as a descendant, preparing the learner for the future of work, and creating engaged children who can communicate in a range of contexts.

“The framework sees the learning of te reo matatini and pāngarau [literacy and numeracy] within context. Māori families want their children to be able to communicate globally. They want them to be able to speak not only academically but also positively within their social engagements. They want them to be able to identify questions, learn how to form an idea, and how to critique and decipher information.”

Rāwiri and his team will be conducting hui and talking to the education community, kura [schools], ākonga, and whānau about the proposed framework in a three-phase co-design process, with the new curriculum scheduled for 2026.

The framework makes change only where it is needed, says Rāwiri. “A key focus for the ministry through this process is to build trust, look at equity across the development, and ensure coherence between the curriculum and the other elements of education.”

Rāwiri is positive about the future of Māori-medium education, but knows there is more to it than the curriculum. His team is also working alongside the sector to look at the pipeline for Māori kaiako, at resourcing kaiako, and at how to keep them in the classroom.

He says He Tamaiti Hei Raukura does not contain anything Māori or non-Māori would not want for their children. “We would love to see it go right across the curriculum, and allow the thousands of Māori children who aren’t in Māori-medium education to succeed, but that’s a work in progress.”

In the meantime, Rāwiri and his team are forging on with their mahi (work), leaving nothing to chance.