Taharangi provides leadership for improving ākonga Māori outcomes, retention and success, while championing embedding Mātauranga Māori and Tīkanga Māori across the institute and developing our cultural capability to incorporate indigenous knowledge into our training and all aspects of Unitec life. 

“It’s a significant honour, I don’t take lightly,” Ms Merito says. 

The category is part of Te Whatu Kairangi Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Awards and recognises phenomenal Pacific educators and trainers in their contributions to develop and support the next generation of students and leaders.

“This is the pinnacle of my teaching,” he says. “I’ve been with Unitec for 16 years. We, Pasifika don’t boast. Some of the things we do are normal for us. But when people look at it, they realise the impact and how important it is.

“When I got the nomination I thought, ‘yes, I’ve done something good, but I am humbled.’”