Faculty of Education marks milestone for Early Childhood Education Pasifika graduates
The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education marked a milestone recently, when the 100th student graduated from its Early Childhood Education-Diploma Pasifika programme (ECE-PI), which saw its first graduating class in 2003.
According to the Faculty's Lexie Grudnoff, Head of Teacher Education, this shows a significant increase from just five years ago, when New Zealand had approximately 70 registered ECE teachers across the entire country.
Patisepa Tuafuti, Coordinator of the DipTChg (ECE-PI) credits the growth to Pacific community leadership such as that provided by the Pacific Island Early Childhood Care Association (PIECCA), the originators of a Pasifika-focused ECE qualification taught at the former Auckland College of Education.
"The establishment and vision of PIECCA set the stage for ECE-Pasifika qualifications today," says Patisepa, who notes recent graduates of the programme boast an employment rate of almost 100 percent. "From this foundation came other education and professional development support groups and networks, all with a strong Pasifika focus. The long-term engagement with Pasifika communities must be acknowledged when we consider the growing success of ECE-PI programmes today."
As of this year, the Faculty offers two ECE-Pasifika specialisations-the Diploma in Teaching ECE and the Bachelor of Education (Teaching). The new BEd (Tchg) programme consists of an ECE-Pasifika specialisation and a mainstream ECE specialisation. This is New Zealand’s first degree-level specialisation in Pasifika ECE. The majority of ECE-Pasifika students and staff are of Pacific nation heritage; they undertake courses taught in English language, with breakout tutorials for language- and culture-specific study. Students tap into the growing body of Pasifika education research undertaken by academics at the Faculty of Education, and benefit from Pasifika-specific academic support services.
With their qualification in hand, graduates of the Faculty of Education's ECE-Pasifika programmes are qualified to work in both mainstream and Pasifika centres, where they teach through the medium of Pacific Island language, culture and values.
"As the rising number of graduates makes clear, there is tremendous demand for our Pacific Island graduates," says Dr Airini, Associate Dean, Equity, at the Faculty of Education. "We think of our Pasiifka ECE graduates as ‘Pacific pearls’ because they are considered so valuable to both our Pasifika and mainstream communities," says Airini.
Caption for photo (left to right):
Patisepa Tuafuti, Senior lecturer, School of Pasifika Education, FoEd
Seiuli Luama Sauni, Senior lecturer, SCOPE
Ulu Waqavanua, Graduate, DipTchg ECE-PI
Meripa Toso, Lecturer, SCOPE
Marica Rodon, Graduate, DipTchg ECE-PI
