Education initiatives add to momentum of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2020

More than 1000 teachers, support staff and school leaders have graduated from a programme designed to grow their capability to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice, as part of the Government’s plan to integrate te reo Māori into education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today.

Being trialled in four regions Te Taiuru (Whanganui-Taranaki), Te Tonga (Bulls to Wellington), Waikato-Tainui (Waikato) and Ngāi Tahu (Te Waipounamu) Te Ahu o te Reo Māori has seen 1033 graduates learning everyday te reo Māori in the past year.

“The more teachers and leaders using te reo Māori correctly every day, the better,” Kelvin Davis said.

“We know that Māori learners do better at school when there are strong relationships between home and school and their education reflects their identity, language and culture.

“It’s fantastic to hear that our education workforce are now embedding what they’ve learned through Te Ahu o te Reo Māori into their teaching practices and communities,” Kelvin Davis said.

Kelvin Davis said he was impressed by teachers, support staff and school leaders’ efforts to overcome challenges like COVID-19 to ensure the programme’s success.

The nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rethink in the way Te Ahu o te Reo Māori was delivered, with programme providers shifting their delivery online.

Budget 2020 has seen additional support for the programme with $108.4 million set aside to expand delivery of Te Ahu o te Reo Māori nationwide, over the next four years.

“This will strengthen the capability and confidence of up to 40,000 of our education workforce to successfully integrate te reo Māori into all students’ learning,” Kelvin Davis said.

“I’m excited there’s now a growing workforce able to use te reo Māori, and also create and nurture opportunities for all staff and ākonga to normalise its everyday use in learning environments.

”Initiatives like Te Ahu o te Reo Maori, along with the $230 million increased support for Kōhanga Reo in the last two Budgets, reinforce this Government’s commitment to revitalising te Reo Māori,” Kelvin Davis said.

During Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, Kelvin Davis encourages all New Zealanders with an enthusiasm and passion for te reo to register and join the Virtual ‘Māori Language Moment’ at 12pm on Monday 14 September 2020. 

This year the aim is to mobilise a million people to speak, sing and celebrate te reo at the same time.

“So wherever you are at 12pm today, grab your whānau, mum, dad, aunty, koro, work colleagues and friends to do something together to share and support a strong, healthy and thriving Māori language,” Kelvin Davis said.