Tuakana

"Tuakana Teina is far more than just mentoring someone in skills they possess.

It is a collaboration of appreciation based on shared mutual equal respect for one another."

This is an excerpt from an upcoming eBook and collaboration by Aroha Puketapu with Graeme (Kereama) Smith.

Tuakana/ Teina grow and support each other. Tuakana learn to develop and deliver a program in their assigned Ako class where they lead activities. These activities are designed to be in alignment with the school values and the Whakatauki they choose. Tuakana help guide and support Teina to help them connect and  and to intentionally build relationships within the Ako class. All Tuakana are expected to lead develop and take a role. 

The outcomes of the 2023 survey that was sent out to our year 9 students outlined the following experiences they had during AKO period with the Tuakana prefects. Out of 161 responses:

94% said they liked having the Tuakana in their classes,  

56% said they wanted them to come in more than once a week, 

73% said Tuakana connected with everyone during class, 

70.6% of the students said that having Tuakana with them during their AKO class helped them to connect more with the other students in their class.