Dial slowing shifting for Māori and Pacific learners

Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland’s effort to lift UE success for Māori and Pacific secondary learners continues to gain momentum.

The University expanded its UE Success secondary schools partnership, welcoming Henderson High School, Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, St Paul’s College and Westlake Boys High School at an event on 5 March.

The partnership, launched in 2024 and expanded through 2025, now includes 19 secondary schools working closely with the University to ensure Māori and Pacific learners arrive at tertiary well prepared to navigate and succeed.

Liletina Vaka, Associate Director, Schools & Community Engagement, says the expansion reflects schools’ demand for a model that puts readiness and parity by 2030 at the centre, with a focus beyond ‘getting school leavers through the gate’.

“We have four years to shift the dial to parity by 2030. UE Success is about fit for purpose preparation — strengthening external credit confidence, course design and transitions — so our learners don’t just enter the gate, they cross the stage.”

Vaka says the momentum from schools, parents and whānau shows the value of a partnership grounded in data, culture and accountability. Over the past two years, first-year pass rates for Māori and Pacific students have improved by two percentage points, and five percentage points respectively.

Katalina Ma, Pathways Programme Manager, notes that schools are actively approaching the University after seeing the impact of data informed decisions on UE outcomes.

“Schools are leveraging data to redesign programmes and assessment mixes. I was invited to Rarotonga to share what first year success looks like when students balance internal and external credits; that practical alignment is helping school leavers arrive ready for tertiary — here or anywhere.”

Catherine Dunphy from the Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor Māori addressed the visiting secondary schools principals and spoke about the impact of the initiative, now in its second year. She said the partnership was reshaping how the University showed up for schools and learners.

“Universities can look impenetrable from the outside. This partnership is teaching us to reach out authentically, listen to learners’ experiences and smooth the transition so the jump from secondary to university isn’t so hard. It’s about building confidence, belonging and success from day one.”

Sili Mireta Ropati, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor Pacific, emphasised the reciprocity of a collaborative approach.

“Accountability matters. As much as our teams support schools and hold standards, we invite our partners to hold us to account at Waipapa Taumata Rau. We’re here to do our best for your learners as they come through—fa’afetai tele lava for the trust and the shared purpose.”

Why parity is needed — the data
Across Aotearoa, Māori and Pacific University Entrance (UE) attainment declined from 40% in 2020 to 34% in 2022, while the national UE rate fell from 53% to 50% over the same period; this persistent gap underpins the University’s parity target for 2030 and explains why a structured, school–university partnership is essential. Despite a partial recovery from COVID era disruptions, equity disparities in NCEA Level 3 and UE remain significant, reinforcing the need for sustained, system level action to improve preparedness and outcomes for Māori and Pacific learners.

Early signs the pipeline is strengthening
Since the partnership launched, partner schools report more informed subject selection, a stronger emphasis on external standards, and a lift in applications, offers and acceptances among Māori and Pacific school leavers headed to the University, indicating that readiness — not just participation — is improving across the cohort.

Last year, the University led the tertiary sector for applications from Māori and Pacific school leavers, attributing the rise in part to pathway initiatives and the structured collaboration with secondary schools that UE Success provides.

Why this is a game changer for communities
Tertiary qualifications in New Zealand are associated, on average, with higher employment rates, higher earnings and lower benefit reliance, and these advantages increase with qualification level; for Māori and Pacific communities, lifting UE and supporting completion therefore translates into long term household income gains, better employment security and intergenerational well-being benefits.

Parents and communities driving demand
Schools report growing parent and whānau engagement, families are coming forward to request their schools join the UE Success partnership equipping Māori and Pacific youth for tertiary success, improving first-year retention to increase the likelihood of completing programmes of study.

The model combines targeted data, culturally grounded engagement and clear tertiary pathways, and builds on the University’s publicly stated goal to achieve UE parity for Māori and Pacific learners by 2030, a first of its kind approach when launched in 2024 and expanded in 2025.