Abstract:
Kura kaupapa Māori whānau claim that kura kaupapa Māori provides a beneficial learning environment for its pupils. There has been much anecdotal evidence suggesting that children at these unique Māori medium initiatives enjoy being at school and achieve a number of accolades in the academic area as well as in sports and cultural events. As yet there has not yet been any research conducted on the outcomes of kura kaupapa Māori. This article will examine the outcomes of kura kaupapa Māori from the perspectives of 12 graduates. These young men and women were pupils in the very first kura kaupapa Māori that had their beginnings in 1985. The educational history of the graduates will be tracked from kura beginnings until the time of the study. The experiences of the graduates and the impact of this education on their lives is critiqued using a kaupapa Māori research framework that focussed particularly on elements essential to kura kaupapa Māori.