7 June 2021 at 4:50 pm
Education New Zealand to boost global citizenship with expanded NZ Global Competency Certificate
After a successful pilot in 2020, the New Zealand Global Competence Certificate (NZGCC) is currently being offered to learners in New Zealand and around the world.
ENZ has once again partnered with Massey University and AFS to help more New Zealanders grow their global cultural competence skills while our borders are closed.
Over the coming months, the course will be delivered to a wide range of learners both here and overseas, including teachers in indigenous communities in the Pacific Alliance; secondary school students in New Zealand regions alongside their counterparts in Asia; and high-achieving secondary school students in Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.
This time around, ENZ is also offering 100 NZ GCC scholarships to school students from lower socio-economic areas (deciles 1-5) in regions around New Zealand. The first cohort of scholarship recipients are from Whangarei, and will start their course alongside students in Japan next month.
The Ministry of Education has previously identified an area for improvement in New Zealand’s global citizenship in the opportunity-to-learn gap between students of socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds.
“In a very short time, the NZ GCC has gone from a small pilot to a very valuable part of ENZ’s global citizenship work,” ENZ Chief Executive, Grant McPherson, says.
“Global citizenship – or, put another way, broadening the horizons and understanding of New Zealanders – is the third pillar of the New Zealand International Education Strategy 2018. We really can’t underestimate the power of global citizenship skills in our rangatahi – it sets us all up for a more tolerant New Zealand and a more meaningfully connected world.”
Whangarei Girls’ High School student Kaye Pemid said the course helped push her out of her comfort zone.
“Thank you for this because I came out of my shell. And I have become more understanding of the emotions and actions of other cultures. I have gained more knowledge of the things about my identity, my culture and the things around me. I will continue to be a good role model to others and carry on the knowledge I have received and gained from this programme.”
If you’re interested in how your school can take part, contact ENZ Business Development Manager Mary Camp (mary.camp@enz.govt.nz).
