August 28, 2017
Maori must be first among second languages – Davidson
National's new language's policy is being hailed as a tribute to the Greens' advocacy for te reo Maori.
Launching his party's campaign in Auckland yesterday, National leader Bill English promised resources so children could learn one of 10 priority languages.
Green MP Marama Davidson says her party's policy of making te reo Maori a core subject in all primary schools put New Zealand's dominant monolingualism on the wider political agenda.
She expects other parties to also support more teaching on languages – but Maori needs to be at the core of any policy.
"Te reo should absolutely be a core subject across schools because it it our indigenous language, our particular taonga of Aotearoa that we should be cherishing and helping to thrive and not just survive," Ms Davidson says.
She says the other plank of National's education policy, extending national standards testing,si too narrow and ignores the indicators that can tell parents their tamariki are thriving and enjoying school.
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