Ardern’s 2040 te reo goals
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s pep-talk to students on becoming the leading generation of fluent te reo Ma¯ori speakers has been welcomed by high schoolers.
Ardern paid a visit to Wellington High School yesterday, following an announcement by the Green Party which launched a fresh push at making te reo Ma¯ori a compulsory part of schools’ core curriculum by 2025. Inside the school’s marae, Ardern spoke of her regret for not learning te reo Ma¯ori – going on to say she wanted one million people speaking and understanding the basics of our native tongue by 2040. ‘‘That’s an ambitious goal.’’
The change started within schools and the next generation, she said.
‘‘I want my generation to be amongst the last who struggles with te reo. I don’t want the next generation, your generation, to have the regret that I have over not being able to converse more freely in te reo Ma¯ori. Language is a pathway, a tool, and one which I think we really cannot take for granted. We don’t have enough teachers right now so go on and become teachers ... I really encourage you to do that.’’
Year 10 student Ella RigbyCrayford she said Ardern’s drop-in highlighted the Government’s views to value and prioritise Ma¯ori culture. That, she added, was ‘‘refreshing’’.
‘‘As a Ma¯ori person, we are kind of at the back of the policies. It’s really cool to have her not only make policies that include us but come talk to us’’.