Record number of Pacific young people receive STEAM funding

A record number of Pacific secondary school and tertiary students will get a hand-up with their education in 2022, thanks to the Toloa Fund, Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio said.  

A total of  238 Toloa Secondary School Scholarships across 83 schools and 50 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships have been awarded to Pacific youth around New Zealand.

“We want to see more Pacific people studying and working in the Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics fields. We are are delighted to offer secondary school students a scholarship which covers school fees and equipment for one year to the maximum of $2,000 for the first time, this year.

“Now in its seventh year, the Toloa Fund is most certainly achieving its goal of helping Pacific Aotearoa thrive, with this unprecedented number of scholarships,” Aupito William Sio said.

Along with the 238 secondary school scholarship recipients, 50 Pacific students have received tertiary scholarships, which covers tuition fees and compulsory course related fees up to $10,000 for one year of fulltime study for STEAM-related courses and subjects.

“Empowering Pacific Aotearoa is a priority of this Ministry, and education is one way to achieve this goal – we wish the students the very best of luck as they pursue their dreams.”

Toloa Capability funding is for emerging providers to build their capability and capacity for delivering STEAM programmes to Pacific communities, and this year 10 applicants were presented with funding - eight in Auckland and two in Wellington.

Additionally, six providers – from Auckland, Palmerston North, Hamilton and Porirua will receive funding from the Toloa Substantial Provider Fund, which supports proven and experienced providers to deliver Pasifika-centric STEAM programmes.

“Congratulations to all of our Toloa Fund recipients. They will surely pave the way for Pacific Aotearoa,” Aupito William Sio said.