More resources needed for Māori full immersion education

Waatea Team Rawiri Wright

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The Government has announced a $28 million investment to build 20 new classrooms and begin development of a new Māori full immersion school, aiming to provide safe, warm, and dry learning environments for Tamariki across Aotearoa.

Also called kura kaupapa Māori, these schools operate with at least 81–100% of teaching delivered in te reo Māori, guided by the foundational philosophy of Te Aho Matua. They aim not only to preserve the language but to nurture Māori cultural identity and wellbeing. As at July 2024, there were 19,646 students in full immersion schools (Level 1 Māori-medium)-an increase of ~1,348 over the previous year. Māori-medium education is present in 344 schools, with 122 of these offering full immersion pathways. In early learning, about 8,500 children attend kōhanga reo (language nests), a precursor to kura kaupapa, supported further through Budget 2025 funding

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