April 20, 2017
New strategy for Maori medium education
Outgoing Education Minister Hekia Parata has called on educators to embrace a strategy to future-proof Maori medium education.
Te Rangai Kahui Ako a-Iwi was unveiled today at a hui in Wellington involving Maori medium national bodies Te Kohanga Reo National Trust, Te Runanganui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori, Nga Kura a Iwi, Te Akatea and iwi representatives.
Ms Parata says it will give iwi clear data about Maori medium participation statistics within their rohe.
It gives a framework for sustainable Maori medium education in every rohe, contextualised by the dialect, tikanga, kawa and the cultural narratives of the iwi of that rohe, from kohanga to kura to wananga.
She says Maori in education are starting earlier, staying longer, and leaving better qualified.
The latest data shows students in Maori-medium schools are passing NCEA Level 2 on par with all students in the school population and 15 to 20 percentage points higher than Maori students in English-medium.
In response to calls for more te reo Maori throughout the education system, Ms Parata says choosing a Maori medium education pathway is an obvious and readily available way to learn and speak Maori.
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