Kapa haka group Ngā Kura o Haehaeata was personally thanked by the Minister of Education Erica Stanford for their cultural performance welcoming her on Friday afternoon.

The ministerial visit to Alexandra on April 5 was part of the Kāhui Ako (community of learning) regional hui (meeting).

After the waiata and haka Erica got out of her seat and rushed outside to congratulate and thank the ākonga (learners).

Watch a short three-minute clip of the performance here. VIDEO: The Central App

The passionate performance for Erica was a small subset of what the group learned in 2023 for various events including the NZ Principals Federation Conference. PHOTO: The Central App

Tamariki were adorned with traditional kākahu (clothing), moko (tattoo), feather earrings and hair pieces for the performance. The Terrace School whaea (teacher) Karen Neill has spent many hours leading and coaching the combined group.

Erica addressed the 75 teachers and principals from the podium at 2pm, again thanking them for having her, and for all of their hard work in the education sector. 

“Thanks for all that you do . . . it is an enormous privilege to be in this job,” Erica said.

“I’m mindful of change . . . I’m going to be staying close to the sector to ensure you have time you need to implement changes.”

She said she was “massively passionate” about education and getting it right.

Erica addresses the teachers who attended her session in Alexandra last week. PHOTO: The Central App

“[We are] not going to come in and flip the table and change direction.”

Erica spoke for about three quarters of an hour, and answered prepared questions, along with fielding some from the floor.

Her office issued a media release on Friday outlining significant changes to the NCEA Change Programme, delaying the implementation by two years. 

A well received kapa haka performance. PHOTO: The Central App

She assured the audience that the intention was to make sure changes last and that she had already spoken to Labour’s Jan Tinetti (former teacher and Minister of Education prior to Erica) to work collaboratively on topics such as the curriculum and assessment framework.

Other areas of focus that she spoke about were; investing in and supporting teachers, increasing guidance and support with the curriculum, structured literacy, a consistent assessment approach across New Zealand and improving the data that the Ministry of Education uses to base decisions on. 

On the subject of property, Erica said things had been “tough to say the least.”

A Ministerial Inquiry was announced late in February. It means building projects across 305 schools have been put under a ‘value for money’ review.

She said she’s still expecting results back in the three-month period given (time is up at the end of May).

Held at the Baptist Church on Gregg St, educators from across Otago and Southland spoke to teachers and attendees covering relevant education topics during the day-long hui.

Former Black cap, cricket coach and Clyde resident Warren Lees spoke before Erica, sharing anecdotes about teamwork, leadership and how to get the best out of people.

Dunstan Kāhui Ako is made up of nine local schools (Alexandra Primary, The Terrace School, St Gerard’s, Clyde, Omakau, Poolburn, St John’s Ranfurly, Millers Flat and Dunstan High).