Scholarship leads to ‘making the ultimate difference’ as a school principal

A scholarship funded by the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust allowed Geraint Tuiletoa Tagaloa to study a Master of Secondary School Leadership (MSSL), which he has already put into practice.

Pasifika man wearing a lei and smiling in front of Mangere College
Geraint Tuiletoa Tagaloa

Te Herenga Waka’s MSSL programme provides a pathway for senior school leaders to become principals. Geraint is using his course learnings in his new role as the Principal/Tumuaki of Māngere College.

“The MSSL course solidified my aim to become a principal,” says Geraint. “I realised it would allow me to make the ‘ultimate’ difference in a school. I would advise anyone thinking about this course to ‘go for it’ even if you are not sure principalship is for you. There is such massive benefit in developing school leaders.”

Since 2020, the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust has donated $600,000 towards scholarships for secondary school teachers and managers to complete the MSSL programme.

“Quality leadership is fundamentally important for schools to deliver the teaching and learning that our young people deserve,” says Geoff Burgess, General Manager of the Trust.

“By supporting scholarships on the MSSL programme, the trustees have observed aspiring teachers stepping into pivotal leadership roles to influence the standards of education in our schools.”

Geraint wasn’t originally considering teaching at all. “Don’t be a teacher, it’s far too stressful,” was the advice from his father, who had immigrated from Sāmoa with English as a second language and taught at the former Pencarrow school in Wainuiomata.

After completing a degree in Physics, then considering a career with the Police, it was during a stint working with at-risk youth that Geraint discovered he enjoyed working with young people and making a difference through education.

After qualifying as a teacher, he taught maths at St Paul’s College in Ponsonby, where he became a Dean.

“I thought that a pastoral role like Dean would be my final destination in the school system, but school leaders encouraged me to consider more senior roles.”

He became Head of Science and had a year as Acting Deputy Principal in 2018.  In 2020, he secured a position as Assistant Principal at One Tree Hill College and at the end of 2023, he became Deputy Principal.

The MSSL course has produced 17 principals and many promotions to more senior positions over the ten years it has been running. It is the only course of its type in the country and incorporates management skills as well as the educational side of school leadership.

The programme is interdisciplinary, delivered by both Te Whānau O Ako Pai—Faculty of Education and Ōrauariki—Wellington School of Business and Government, with input from experienced secondary principals.

Director of the MSSL programme, Associate Professor Kate Thornton says the course can be completed part-time and includes block courses combined with online learning and discussions, to suit the lifestyle of busy secondary school leaders.

“A recent report from the Education Review Office report found that most new principals in Aotearoa New Zealand had no obvious pathway to prepare them for the wide range of activities and challenges they faced.

“It recommended postgraduate programmes such as the MSSL, coaching, and mentoring as the most effective forms of development and support.”

Course participants have three placements at secondary schools where they shadow and are mentored by an experienced principal over three working days. This lets them balance theory with reality and experience different educational leadership styles in action. Geraint deliberately selected schools that were different to those he had worked in.

“The opportunity to shadow principals and see parts of the role you wouldn’t normally see was an extremely valuable part of the course. I still consult my notes and reflect on my course learnings almost daily.

“I also recall the advice ‘don’t be a Deputy Principal sitting in the principal’s chair.’ It’s a very different job—taking a broader view, working on school-wide initiatives, and learning to delegate and trust your team.”

Geraint started as Principal at Māngere College halfway through the second term in 2023—he was the first Pasifika principal to be appointed at the school since it began 53 years ago. With a roll of 780 students, the college embraces a rich diversity of cultures including tight-knit Pasifika and refugee communities.

“I enjoy seeing the pride that the students have in their culture, and representing their school in the community, on the sports grounds, and at various events. Language weeks are huge here!”

Shortly after he started, the school was saddened by the death of Melegalenu'u Ah Sam MNZM, who had been Acting Principal. Known as Mele, she had been a much-loved staff and community member for over thirty years. She pioneered Samoan language teaching at the school and performances at the ASB Polyfest. Geraint began his principalship managing the community’s grief and getting to know the school’s history.

“Coming into the role part way through the year was challenging. The first year has been about observation—learning the school, learning the staff, learning the students. I’m really looking forward to the beginning of next year to set the scene and hit the ground running.”


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