An indigenous and migrant critique of principles and innovation in education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

This paper questions notions of individualism underpinning technocratic approaches to education that marginalise indigenous and migrant peoples' knowledges in tertiary education. Focusing on New Zealand (Aotearoa) with its colonial and immigrant history, its Maori and Pacific Islander citizens, the authors ask whether education, as its process is being communicated there, leaves indigenous and migrant people vulnerable and marginalised in the dominant, English-speaking, New Zealand European (Pakeha) mainstream society. The question is whether education refers to capacity-building and strengthening the potential of marginalised students' language and culture; or whether it is only geared towards sustaining English-language ascendancy and technical virtuosity. Taking on board the cultural heritage of Pacific Islanders (Pasifika) resident in New Zealand, a new teacher training diploma was introduced by the Auckland University of Technology in 2004. Both authors are involved in the panel meetings (Fono) where the papers presented during the diploma course are evaluated.