04 February 2026
Priya Delana
[FYI request #33300 email]
Official Information Request – Ngā Pātū o te Whare | Wall of Identity
Tēnā koe Priya,
Thank you for your email dated 17 December 2025 requesting information regarding Ngā Pātū o te
Whare | the Wall of Identity. We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982
(OIA) and have provided responses to each specific question. Before getting to those questions, I would
like to provide some further context around the conception and development of Ngā Pātū o te Whare.
Ngā Pātū o te Whare | Wall of Identity was developed from the design o
f Te Whare o te Matatū
Aotearoa, the house of and for the teaching profession, which expresses the Teaching Council’s
commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This idea is drawn from the experience of being on a marae. The
walls of a wharenui are not just structural - they hold memory, meaning, and whakapapa. They remind
us of what matters most to the people and the place they represent.
The idea was created to give practical effect to Standard 1: Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership, which
applies across all domains of the professional standards. The framework draws on the Tiriti-
based structure of Te Whare o te Matatū Aotearoa and the symbolism of tukutuku panels to help
teachers recognise identity, belonging, and cultural responsiveness as core professional expectations. It
was developed to support teachers to demonstrate all focus areas of Standard 1 by:
• recognising the unique status of tangata whenua (1.1)
• acknowledging the histories, heritages, languages, and cultures of all partners to Te Tiriti (1.2)
• designing teaching and learning that reflects Te Tiriti partnership and affirms Māori identity,
language, and culture (1.3)
• practising and developing te reo and tikanga Māori to strengthen engagement with Māori
learners, whānau, and communities (1.4)
Ngā Pātū o te Whare | Wall of Identity is therefore a practical tool created to help teachers reflect on
their own identity, understand the diversity of ākonga, and uphold their professional responsibilities
within their everyday practice.
1. Whose idea was it
The Governing Council was responsible for approving the development and implementation of Ngā Pātū
o te Whare | Wall of Identity.
2. Full development costs. Please breakdown
a. staff time
b. consultant fees for the cultural experts including why and how these cultural experts
were chosen
c. design
d. platform integration on My Rawa
Total development costs for Wall of Identity Project $31,238.00 (ex GST)
The Council is unable to provide the specific cost of staff time on this mahi. This is because staff do not
complete timesheets for specific pieces of work and work across many different functions and priorities
at one time.
A total cost of $20,000 was spent on subject matters experts who provided their recognised knowledge,
lived experience, and demonstrated commitment to Te Tiriti honouring practice. Each expert has a
strong grounding in their respective cultural traditions and brought professional credibility as an
experienced teacher or education practitioner. Their background enabled them to provide authentic
insight into the stories, values, identities, and histories reflected in the Wall of Identity. These
individuals were recommended for their expertise and trusted standing within their communities and
the education sector, ensuring that the development of the Wall of Identity was informed by respected,
credible cultural perspectives.
The Council does not hold cost information in a way that we can provide the specific design cost or the
cost of platform integration into My Rawa as these specific pieces of work were part of larger projects.
Your request is therefore declined under section 18(e).
3. What else in this budget al ocation could have been funded
This information does not exist and therefore your request is declined under section 18(e) of the OIA.
4. Provide documents on the
a. Ideological basis and approval process for these phrases used in the Facebook post
Wednesday 17th December. ‘This wal is not to divide but to recognise the new and
evolving stories upon which our nation wil grow.’ ‘it's an invitation to pause, reconnect
and honour the identity you bring to your Mahi, and the way you create space for others
to belong too.’
b. Does the Teaching Council consider itself to have a ‘nation-building’ role, as suggested
by the phrase ‘the new and evolving stories upon which our nation wil grow’. Provide al
records, including emails or briefings, on the intended meaning of this phrase and its
relation to the Council’s statutory mandate.
Provided at the end of this response are Microsoft Teams Messages that show the approval process for
the Facebook post of Wednesday 17 December 2025.
The Teaching Council does not hold a statutory mandate relating to “nation building.” Under the
Education and Training Act 2020, the Council’s functions relate to professional leadership, setting
and maintaining standards, registration, and supporting high-quality teaching and leadership across the
education system.
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The phrase
“the new and evolving stories upon which our nation wil grow” was intended in a
descriptive and cultural sense rather than a constitutional or nation building sense. It refers to how
teachers contribute to the learning, identity, and development of ākonga, and therefore play a role in
shaping the shared narratives of Aotearoa New Zealand as a diverse and evolving society. This aligns
with the refreshed Professional Standards, particularly:
•
Standard 1: Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership, and its focus areas relating to understanding
tangata whenua, acknowledging the histories and cultures of all partners to Te Tiriti, affirming
identity and culture in teaching, and practising te reo and tikanga Māori.
•
The broader expectation across all domains that teachers support inclusive, culturally grounded
learning environments.
5. Why this was prioritised as core regulatory work under Section 479(1) of the Education and
Training Act 2020.
This work was prioritised as core regulatory activity because it directly aligns with several mandatory
functions in Section 479(1) of the Education and Training Act 2020, including providing direction for
teachers (s 479(1)(a)), enhancing the status of teachers (s 479(1)(b)), identifying and disseminating
best practice (s 479(1)(c)), and maintaining standards for ongoing practice (s 479(1)(j)).
This work supports teachers to meet the Professional Standards, particularly Standard 1 and ensures
cultural y responsive, high-quality teaching, that work falls within the Council’s required regulatory
framework rather than discretionary leadership activities.
6. Positioning as a "gift" or end-of-year initiative as per social media post on Facebook (Wednesday
17th December).
The description of the initiative as a ‘gift’ or end-of-year gesture reflects cultural practices common
across Aotearoa, including Māori and Pacific traditions, where the conclusion of a year or kaupapa is
marked through reciprocity, appreciation, and the sharing of resources or knowledge. This framing
relates to how the initiative was presented publicly, rather than to its regulatory status.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Lead Advisor, Jess Ludgate via
[Teaching Council request email]. You have the right to seek a review of this response by the Office of
the Ombudsman. Information on how to do so is available here
: How to make a complaint |
Ombudsman New Zealand
Nāku noa, nā
Sharon Coulton
Pou Kaiāwhā | Acting Deputy Chief Executive
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