Last week the Year 13 te reo Māori class travelled to Wellington for a three-day trip as part of their major writing portfolio assessment which has a focus on a contemporary political issue that affects Māori. The students went to Parliament on the first day and had a question and answer session with three West Auckland Ministers: Phil Twyford (Te Atatū), Kelvin Davis (Te Tai Tokerau) and Carmel Sepuloni (Kelston). This was a rare opportunity for students to ask questions such as future support for te reo Māori, how to solve the current homelessness situation in Auckland and the high cost of living for many whānau.

The students also took tours at Victoria University and Massey University. There were further opportunities for them to meet with current University Māori student leaders who were also able to give guidance about life after high school and tertiary life. We finished the excursion at Te Papa Museum which was a great learning experience for the students. I would like to thank Whaea Materoa Moses for supporting the students during the trip.