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February 14, 2013
Ministry scheming undermining urban Māori efforts
Waatea Team
Posted On February 14, 2013
A Christchurch-based academic says the way the Education Ministry is restructuring Māori medium schools in the city is undermining decades of work by the Otautahi Māori community.
The ministry wants to merge two kura kaupapa and close or merge five of eight bilingual units.
Rawiri Taonui says while it was urban Māori who led the drive to create kohanga reo and kura kaupapa, the ministry is now backing a trend towards kura-ā-iwi which are supposedly accountable to tribes in their area.
In Christchurch that means ministry support for a special-character Te Pā ō Rakaihautu School and Waitaha Advisory Board, even though mana whenua make up only about 15 percent of the city’s Māori population.
“Schools are being told what to do. There has been a lack of information and consultation and tick the box sort of process. The ministry has been able to use the misfortune of the Christchurch earthquake just to push a restructuring agenda”.
Rawiri Taonui says Education Minister Hekia Parata hasn’t been straight with the community about Te Pā ō Rakaihautu, whose establishment board includes several of the minister’s relatives.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd
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