School system failing Maori
A report released by the Children Commissioner last week about the experience of young Ma¯ori in education makes for sobering reading.
As a former teacher and principal with 20 years at the chalk-face, it was a reminder of how much we still need to do to ensure that all of our children are supported and comfortable at school to be successful.
The report — Education matters to me: Experiences of tamariki and rangatahi Ma¯ori — is one of a series based on face-to-face and online responses from hundreds of students.
It points at low levels of expectation of Ma¯ori students, that they feel they are being discriminated against and judged, and a lack of understanding of their culture — who they are and where they come from.
Schools don’t do this intentionally but even apparently small things can have negative consequences. One example given was about being too embarrassed to take free food on offer because it was done publicly, even though they were hungry. This is about goodwill but it needs to be delivered more sensitively so that students aren’t embarrassed in front of their peers. And this isn’t specific to Ma¯ori culture, it’s about understanding a student’s background and their perspective.
I know many of our schools work hard to ensure that te reo Ma¯ori and tikanga Ma¯ori are valued and used meaningfully. We have come a long way but we need to go further in our education system, and work collectively to create a culturally-responsive environment that will make Ma¯ori students more comfortable, confident and successful.
A personal hero of mine, Sir James Henare, once said “It is preposterous that any Ma¯ori should aspire to become a poor Pakeha, when their true destiny, prescribed by the Creator, is to become a great Ma¯ori.”
Education plays a crucial role in ensuring our children and young people become great. It’s up to principals and teachers to create the conditions to achieve this. Politicians need to make sure schools have the right settings and the freedom to do what they need to.
As Associate Education Minister, I am looking at what is and isn’t working in education for Ma¯ori, how we boost te reo teacher numbers and better integration of te reo Ma¯ori into schools, and how we better support teachers through professional development and training to build their cultural competence and confidence.
This is important work but we also need to think fundamentally. The Government is undertaking a range of work, including a review of Tomorrows Schools and NCEA, and an Education Workforce Strategy. The Workforce Strategy will look at supporting teachers to promote and strengthen cultural language and identity.
But all of this has to be part of a broader national conversation about what the education system needs to be to deliver for everyone. That’s why we will be holding education summits and welcoming online submissions in the next few months. I strongly encourage the people of Te Tai Tokerau — educators, tamariki, rangatahi and whanau — to be part of that conversation.
"We need to go further . . . and work collectively to create a culturallyresponsive environment that will make Ma¯ ori students more comfortable, confident and successful."