It’s not if it’s when for te reo – Mahuta
Ma¯ori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta says compulsory te reo in schools is the logical endpoint of her Government’s language policy.
The Government’s current policy only calls for an increase in te reo teachers to make the language universally available in school, and for it to be ‘‘integrated’’ into the primary and early childhood curriculum by 2025.
The Government has specifically avoided the word ‘‘compulsory.’’
Indeed, on Monday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern repeatedly failed to endorse the Green Party’s calls for it to be made compulsory, saying ‘‘universally available needs to be the first step’’ in answer to questions about her support for it.
During the election campaign Ardern said that she would want to ‘‘keep that conversation going’’ once te reo was universally available in 2025.
But yesterday morning Mahuta made clear what that first step was towards in her mind – compulsory te reo.
‘‘In order to deliver on compulsory te reo Maori we would have to increase the number of Maori teachers in our schools,’’ Mahuta said.
Asked directly if that meant compulsory te reo was the end goal Mahuta said it was ‘‘I think it’s only a matter of time’’.
‘‘It’s not if it’s when. We need to ensure we have the pool of teachers available so they are able to go into schools to be able to teach te reo Ma¯ ori. If we look at mainstream schools like King’s College, who have already made a commitment to compulsory Ma¯ori to Year 9, that’s a signal that New Zealand is ready, it’s just that the education system isn’t.’’
This isn’t the first time a Labour minister has drifted slightly from the party line on whether or not te reo would be compulsory. Associate Ma¯ori Development Minister Willie Jackson said in December he ‘‘didn’t think it was a difference’’ between compulsory and universally available.
The incoming briefing to Mahuta revealed that in 2013 just 21.3 per cent of the Ma¯ ori population were able to hold an everyday conversation in te reo and that number was dropping. If the trend continued only 12 per cent of Ma¯ ori would be able to speak te reo by 2038.
The Green Party’s policy is to make te reo compulsory in all public primary and secondary schools by 2030.