February 05, 2021
Demand outstrips supply for reo teachers


The chief executive of Te Taura Whiri, the Māori Language Commission, says a shortage of teachers of Māori needs to be urgently addressed if the Government’s commitment to making te reo Māori a core subject is to be met.
Ngahiwi Apanui says the secretary for education has told the commission there is a need for 3000 teachers to satisfy demand in Māori medium education and 30,000 for mainstream.
In the tertiary and wānanga sector there are twice as many people on waiting lists than in classes.
"That demand issue, the inability to supply the demand, needs to be addressed seriously, particularly if the Government is to deliver on its promise to make te reo Māori a core subject in all schools by 2025," he says.
Te Taura Whiri is making its own contribution by this year urging people to learn to introduce themselves in Māori.
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