$12m to help teach te reo
‘‘Normalising’’ the use of te reo Ma¯ori is behind a $12.2 million Government-funded initiative to get teachers and support staff speaking the language in the classroom.
The first part of the Te Ahu o te Reo Ma¯ori programme was launched at Parliament yesterday which will see educators go through interactive Ma¯ori lessons so they can feel more comfortable using phrases with students.
The programme will be piloted in Waikato, TaranakiWhanganui, Ka¯piti-Horowhenua and Te Waipounamu (South Island) – regions chosen because the Ma¯ori classroom populations were expected to increase by 20 per cent over the next four years.
Registrations will be open to 700 educators from early learning through to secondary school in the programme’s first year, before being rolled out to other areas. Each region will have a programme specific to their area and dialect, and will be codesigned by local iwi and the Ministry of Education.
Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said the programme will help ensure the language is being used correctly, and will contribute to the Government’s pledge to increase te reo use in schools by 2025.
‘‘It’s important that Ma¯ori students are able to hear and speak and see their language being spoken on a daily basis by their teachers, by other nonteaching staff, because the Ma¯ ori language is a taonga (treasure).
‘‘This is part of nationbuilding as well. Te reo Ma¯ ori, in fact, Ma¯ ori tikanga and culture is an important part of who we are as New Zealanders and Te Ahu o te Reo is an important part of that kaupapa,’’ Davis said.
The multi-million-dollar funding was flagged in Budget 2018 and will be delivered over the next four years. The funding provides a contribution towards staff/teacher relief costs, so staff can attend classes. As part of the announcement, the Minister and other education industry representatives took part in an interactive Ma¯ori lesson similar to what the new programme will offer.
The lesson was directed by Taranaki language advocate Dr Ruakere Hond, part of a panel of experts leading the programme.
‘‘It gives the ability for schools to start having access to support for Ma¯ori language to become part of the culture of the school, rather than an academic subject to be taught. It gives teachers access to people who are going to support them to use Ma¯ori language appropriately and in context,’’ Hond said.
He acknowledged many teachers felt anxious to use Ma¯ ori language in their everyday work for fear of making a mistake.