Te Pāti Māori has unveiled a flagship education policy promising to establish a Māori Education Authority, saying the move would restore Māori leadership over Māori education and create a system that better reflects the aspirations, language and identity of tamariki Māori.
The announcement was made by Te Tai Tonga candidate Lisa Marie Murch during her debut election debate on Marae, positioning education as one of the party’s key priorities ahead of the 2026 General Election.
The proposed authority would oversee a stronger Māori-led education system, with increased investment in kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, wharekura and wānanga, while embedding mātauranga Māori more deeply throughout the national curriculum.
Te Pāti Māori says the policy is founded on the principle that Māori learners achieve the best outcomes when Māori have greater authority over education.
Lisa Marie Murch said the proposal is centred on ensuring every Māori child has the opportunity to succeed without compromising their identity.
She said strengthening Māori governance across the education system would create pathways that enable tamariki to flourish academically while remaining grounded in their language, culture and whakapapa.
The party argues education should not simply prepare young people for employment but should also strengthen cultural confidence, identity and intergenerational wellbeing.
Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said New Zealand’s current education system continues to reflect the legacy of historical assimilation policies rather than Māori aspirations.
He argued many Māori students have spent generations navigating a system that was not designed around their language, culture or worldview.
According to Waititi, establishing a Māori Education Authority would return decision-making to Māori communities while creating education pathways that value te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga Māori alongside mainstream learning.
The party says stronger Māori governance would enable education providers to better respond to the needs of whānau and local communities.
Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer described education as one of the clearest expressions of tino rangatiratanga, saying Māori leadership is essential to achieving equitable educational outcomes.
She said the policy is intended to support not only learners but also kaiako, whānau and Māori education providers by creating a system built around long-term success rather than short-term political cycles.
Te Pāti Māori says investing in Māori-led education is an investment in future generations, helping improve educational achievement while strengthening language revitalisation and cultural identity.
The Māori Education Authority forms the centrepiece of a broader education policy that includes a range of additional commitments.
Among the proposals are:
- Increased investment in kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, wharekura and wānanga.
- Expanding school lunch programmes.
- Free public transport for all students.
- Access to free school counselling.
- Making te reo Māori a core curriculum subject through Year 10.
- Greater support for students experiencing barriers to learning.
- Strengthening and expanding the education workforce.
The party says these measures are designed to remove barriers to education while improving wellbeing and educational participation.
Education is expected to be one of the defining issues of the 2026 election campaign.
Political parties have already outlined competing visions around curriculum reform, school funding, literacy and numeracy, teacher workforce shortages and student wellbeing.
Te Pāti Māori’s proposal places Māori educational self-determination at the centre of that debate, arguing that greater Māori control is essential to improving outcomes for tamariki Māori.
Supporters say the proposal builds upon decades of success achieved by kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori and wānanga, while critics are likely to question how a Māori Education Authority would interact with existing government agencies and the wider education system.
For Te Pāti Māori, the proposed authority represents more than structural reform.
The party says it is about ensuring every Māori child grows up proud of who they are, confident in their language and culture, and equipped to succeed in both te ao Māori and the wider world.
With less than 100 days remaining until New Zealanders vote, education is set to become another major point of difference between the parties seeking to shape the country’s future.
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