Update May 2008

The Waitakere Education & Learning Plan

How did the initiative come about?

There has been interest in developing a citywide learning and education strategy for a number of years.  This was one of the reasons behind the establishment of the Waitakere Education Sector Trust in 2001.  An outcome of an education conference in October 2005 (organised by the Educators and Communiteis Call To Action) highlighted the need for a shared understanding of what the city wants to achieve in relation to education and the need for more strategic planning and action in this area.

What are the underlying needs the initiative is trying to address?

A more strategic and collaborative approach to the provision of learning and educational opportunities in the city could greatly improve educational outcomes for its residents.  Currently we have higher than the national average of school leavers with low attainment and lower than the national average ECE participation rates especially for Maori, Pasifika and 'other' ethnicities.

Who will potentially benefit?

Everyone in Waitakere City.  Everyone is a learner - students, educators and communities.  The quality of education is often a factor in determining a community's quality of life.

What are the long-term changes the initiative is trying to achieve?

To improve learning outcomes for everyone in Waitakere.  People in Waitakere want a community where everyone embraces learning as a way of life, thereby creating a community that values learning as the key to strengthening individual and community wellbeing.

UPDATE

The Sector & Community Feedback documents are currently being analysed, alongside the gathering together of citywide data about the provision of education and learning provision and initiatives.  An analysis of that particular data set will confirm those intiaitives that providers believe are making a signficiant difference - this will then assist in informing some key actions/priorities to give direction to the initial 3 year Strategtic Plan which will articulate the key goal of the Waitakere Education & Learning Plan.