Seluvaia Latu - Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Huarahi Māori specialisation
Mālō e lelei! Fakafeta'i 'etau kei ma'u e mo'ui, tau tuku aipē 'a e fakafeta'i mo e langilangi ki he 'Otua 'i Langi, koe'uhi ko e mo'ui 'oku Ne foaki ke tau 'inasi ai. I come from Vaolōloa, Pelehake, Te'ekiu, Kolomotu'a and Tu'atākilangi in Tongatapu, the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga. My dad is from Lātū and Fifita clan and my mum is from the Sitani, Kātoa, Uhi and Pelesikoti clan.
“Teaching was something that I hadn’t ever considered in the past, engari, I believe I was called to the Huarahi Māori Programme. I first applied to do the mainstream programme and it was actually declined, but this didn’t stop me from trying again. God provided and opened an avenue for me. He gave me the strength to apply for a TeachNZ Career changer scholarship and I got it. The scholarship has covered my school fees and provided me with a $30,000 allowance over my three years of study.
“I then reapplied to do Huarahi Māori Programme and got accepted, thanks to the Huarahi Māori programme leader in our campus for giving me that opportunity. E kore rawa e warewaretia tēnā e au. I started the programme with an average GPA but have built it up to a 7.9 over two years which is not my work but God alone. Ano te hohonu, te hua ngatahi hoki o te whakaaro o te Atua me tona mohio! e kore ana tikanga e taea te rapu, ona huarahi te whakataki!(Roma 11:33).He is my main supporter, without Him I wouldn’t be where I am now, especially as a single mother with my three blessings, aku tama.
The Tai Tokerau campus is very family orientated which I love, you get
to know basically everyone at the campus and the staff are very helpful and
friendly. He wāhi ātaahua.
“The best thing about the Huarahi Māori programme is the Māori culture and language. I can relate to it very well as there is a lot of similarities in my culture and te ao Māori, our whakaaro and our worldview links. The Tai Tokerau campus is very family orientated which I love, you get to know basically everyone at the campus and the staff are very helpful and friendly. He wāhi ātaahua. It is a smaller campus which is perfect for me. I can bring my son to campus while I study in the library which is great.
“The practical placements you do in the programme are essential. In the teaching profession you are moulding and building the future citizens of Aotearoa. It is vital to go out and have a taste of how it is like in the classrooms because that's where the real learning occurs.
“My advice for anyone considering the Huarahi Māori programme is that you don't have to be a matatau or be fluent in te reo Māori to do the Huarahi Māori programme. All you need is passion and commitment, that will take you all the way through with a lot of positivity and resilience. And apply for scholarships as there is plenty for us, Māori and Pasifika tauira.
"Kia Kaha! Kia Maia!Kia Manawanui! Tū whia te hopo, mairangitia te angitū! 'Ofa atu”.