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January 15, 2019
Te Reo Maori needed in smaller communities too
Waatea Team
Posted On January 15, 2019
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is rejecting a suggestion it is short changing Māori language students on the Kaipara.
Peter Boyes, who took Te Ara Reo MaÌ„ori lessons up to level four at the wānanga’s Te Whare Oranga in Parakai, has complained level five lessons will not be offered at the campus.
Wānanga spokesperson James Ihaka says the level 5 Te RoÌ„nakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi is a total immersion programme.
Because of the student numbers needed to make it economically viable, it is not offered in smaller centres like Parakai.
He says level four tauira were informed of the situation in October and advised to apply for the courses in Henderson.
There are also classes in central and south Auckland.
There is a pre-assessment test for entry to establish student capability for Te Rōnakitanga.
Mr Ihaka says Te Wānanga o Aotearoa does its best to meet the te reo Māori needs of communities but it is restricted because of its operational constraints and government funding caps.
It welcomes discussions with iwi and communities who would like to partner to deliver more classes to people wanting to learn te reo Māori.
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