October 29, 2012
Hui confirms community support for Māori medium education
Labour's education spokesperson says the longer the debate goes on about restructuring Christchurch's schools, the more evidence emerges for protecting Māori language learning in the shaken city.
The Government's post-earthquake reform plan includes merging the city's two kura kaupapa Māori.
Ms Mahuta says a hui in the city last week with parents, teacher, trustees and community members were concerned not only about that but at the fact that many of the mainstream schools with Maori immersion units are being slated for closure.
"The outcome was that the numbers show that the existing kura can remain because they are viable and there needs to be strengthened options for Maori students across Christchurch and the government needs to reconsider its position," she says.
Ms Mahuta says the Government should also not use Christchurch's problems to push its experiment with charter schools, which overseas experience shows deliver no better or worse outcomes for most children than mainstream schools.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd