Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon says the only block to te reo Māori lessons in schools is the adults who don’t want it to happen.
Commissioner Foon is calling for compulsory te reo Māori classes to be introduced within five years.
He says it will promote respect for other cultures and help address the effects of colonisation.
“Tamariki are really very willing, are sponges and will soak up all this mātauranga. The only stumbling block is some of our adults at the moment. They’re not willing to give this tool as a core competency for our children going into the future”, he says.
Meng Foon predicts te reo Māori will have a major influence as Aotearoa goes through huge changes over the next century.
