World first national monitoring study being developed for Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
15 May, 2025
One of the Government’s key priorities for education is the greater use of data and evidence in our work, to give you confidence that the education system is grounded in what we know works for all students. To make sure that we have access to that evidence, we have started to develop Tīrewa Mātai: the first national monitoring study for students learning through te reo Māori.
Tīrewa Mātai will measure student progress against the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa at Tau 3, 6, and 8, to give us a more complete picture of mokopuna achievement at different stages of their learning. The insights that data provides will inform future curriculum design, policy decisions, and the development of resources and supports for mokopuna, whānau, kaiako, and leaders.
What does the development of the study look like?
The first step towards bringing Tīrewa Mātai to life is finding a partner to help us design it. We’re looking for that provider now – and once they’ve started, we’ll be making sure that your voice is heard throughout the development of the study. Keep an eye out here for opportunities to have your say as work on the study continues.
As well as looking to you and other educational experts for feedback throughout the design process, Tīrewa Mātai will also be shaped by insights from He tōtōpū nō te pakiaka, he hiwa nō te pā: Research on Indigenous National Monitoring Models.
Tīrewa Mātai will be delivered in two parts while the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa is implemented across the motu:
- Phase one, which starts this year towards a report on the progress students are making in the updated Te Reo Rangatira and Pāngarau wāhanga ako. That report will be ready for you to read by March next year, and what we learn from it will help shape the ongoing development of the study.
- Phase two, which starts next year and will gradually start to measure student progress in the other wāhanga ako of the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
We’ll be sharing updates on Tīrewa Mātai throughout its development, including letting you know about upcoming chances to share your feedback. Keep an eye on Tāhūrangi and our curriculum newsletters for more information. Sign up here to have issues of the newsletter sent straight to you: