Listen Now: 
March 12, 2026
#education: Waitangi Tribunal Grants Urgent Inquiry Into Treaty Obligations in Education
Waatea Team
Posted On March 12, 2026
The Waitangi Tribunal has agreed to hold an urgent inquiry into claims that recent government changes to the education system may breach Treaty of Waitangi obligations to Māori.
The inquiry will examine the Crown’s decision to remove the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi within their governance responsibilities. Claimants argue that removing the provision weakens protections for Māori learners and undermines the Crown’s duty to uphold Treaty principles in education policy.
The decision to grant urgency means the Tribunal considers the matter serious enough to warrant immediate examination rather than waiting for a standard inquiry process. Urgent hearings are typically reserved for issues where claimants may face significant prejudice if the Tribunal does not intervene quickly.
Concerns raised by claimants include broader government changes affecting Māori education, including reductions to funding for te reo Māori initiatives and the removal of programmes aimed at strengthening Māori language and culture in schools. Critics say these moves risk reversing progress made in improving outcomes for Māori students and supporting culturally grounded education.
The case also follows a public campaign calling for stronger protections for Te Tiriti within the education system. Tens of thousands of people have supported calls for the government to maintain commitments ensuring that schools recognise and uphold the Treaty relationship and Māori rights within education governance.
The Tribunal’s inquiry will examine whether the Crown has met its Treaty responsibilities, including the principles of partnership, active protection and equity for Māori learners. The process will also assess whether recent legislative and policy changes have reduced the Crown’s ability to protect Māori interests within the education system.
A timetable for hearings is expected to be set in the coming months, with the Tribunal able to make findings and recommendations to the government once the inquiry concludes.
The development adds to growing scrutiny over the direction of education policy and its impact on Māori communities, as debate continues over how Te Tiriti o Waitangi should be reflected in the governance of schools and the wider education system in Aotearoa.
RELATED NEWS
