Sir Toby Curtis, education giant, dies aged 82

Education giant Sir Noble Thomson "Toby" Curtis KNZM has died aged 82.

The proud Ngāti Pikiao and Ngāti Rongomai kaumātua was born at Rotoehu and was the youngest of 15 children. He grew up in Rotoiti near Rotorua.

He stepped down as chair of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust in April this year, after 16 years of service.

Sir Toby received an education at St Michael's College (Rotorua) and St Peter's Māori College (Auckand) before heading to Ardmore Teachers' College and the University of Auckland. He graduated with a Diploma of Teaching in 1972, and then with a Master of Arts degree in 1980.

It was during the 1980s that he served as principal of Hato Petera College and then became vice-principal of Auckland's Teachers College.

In the 1990s he became Director of Primary Education at the Auckland College of Education, before becoming faculty dean and deputy vice-chancellor at AUT.

In 2005, he then graduated with a PhD at the University of Auckland for his "investigation of how Hawaiki knowledge is fundamental for Māori leadership."

In 2012 Curtis was appointed chair of Iwi Education Authority for Ngā Kura a Iwi o Aotearoa, which represents Māori language immersion schools.

He was knighted for services to Māori education in 2014.

Speaking to then Te Karere reporter Hinerangi Goodman, Curtis explained that the knighthood wasn't just his alone, but Te Arawa's as well.

"He hōnore nui tēnei. He hōnore mō Ngāti Rongomai, Pikiao, me Te Arawa."

Sir Toby was the chair of the Māori broadcasting advisory committee, which led to Aotearoa Radio, iwi radio stations and Whakaata Māori. He served as chair Te Māngai Pāho in 1997.