Last Wednesday, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa hosted a pōwhiri to welcome a cohort of 22 rangatahi from Te Wharekura o Ngā Purapura o Te Aroha and Te Awamutu College, who will study Visual Arts Secondary Tertiary Programme.

40 years after Te Wānanga o Aotearoa began, rangatahi return to the founding campus, Apakura, to study mahi toi, just as the first tauira did.

“It is exciting to welcome rangatahi back into our space and very appropriate that this coincides with our 40th anniversary. We are very excited for this programme to happen,” says Te Wānanga o Aotearoa School Services Manager, Marg Apiti.

Throughout the year, rangatahi will spend one day a week on site immersed in the holistic Māori environment of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa gaining NCEA credits through contextualised visual arts standards.

Although this is the first Secondary-Tertiary Programme to be delivered at Apakura, the programme is well established across Tāmaki with over 250 rangatahi within 11 different cohorts.

“The programmes are engaging, and they allow rangatahi to create incredible mahi. They love the environment, and you see that translate into the classrooms which are positive, productive, and a pleasure to be in,” says Marg.

Te Awamutu College Principal, Tony Membery, attended the pōwhiri and reflected on his personal memory of witnessing the opening of O-Tāwhao Marae in 1985.

“This is a special place and how fitting it is to see the two neighbouring schools return to the birthplace of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. This is a great opportunity for our students to connect, experience, and potentially fall in love with the place,” he said.

The goal for 2026 is to expand the programme, making it accessible to more kura, fostering greater opportunities for collaboration and shared learning between the secondary and tertiary sector.

“We couldn’t ask for a better gift as we celebrate 40 years, welcoming rangatahi back to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Rangatahi will have the opportunity to stretch themselves in a safe learning environment while having the support and guidance of our kaimahi and kaiako,” says Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Pouwhakahaere Whakatairanga, Glenn McKay.

Kura interested in participating in the programme or seeking more information, can email youth@twoa.ac.nz.