Te Reo Maori: For All of Us

Human Rights Commission
Media Release
20 March 2007
Embargoed until 6am, Wednesday 21 March

Te Reo Maori: For All of Us

Launching the first ever national curriculum for Te Reo Maori on Race Relations Day is a powerful expression of the Day’s theme for this year, New Zealand Aotearoa for All of Us, says Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

The curriculum will be launched at Newlands College on 21 March by the Minister of Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia and Mr de Bres.

“The Te Reo Maori curriculum is for all of us. It provides a framework for the teaching of Maori language and tikanga in mainstream primary and secondary schools, and will hopefully over time give every New Zealand child the opportunity to learn some degree of Maori“, said Mr de Bres.

“It is particularly important that primary schools now have a flexible curriculum framework that will enable all children to learn the unique indigenous language of New Zealand. This is part of who we are. A grounding for all children in Maori language and tikanga will be a powerful force for positive race relations, as well as providing an encouraging environment for Maori children in which to learn their own language.”

“There will be a need for ongoing investment in teacher training and resources, but providing this opportunity to all children over time is an important goal both for the language to survive as a living language and for students to gain an understanding of their identity as New Zealanders.”

Mr de Bres said he welcomed the announcement last week by Secretary for Education Karen Sewell that references to the Treaty were to be reintroduced to the school curriculum after being omitted from the draft last year. He said he also hoped that in the revised curriculum Maori language will have a special place as an official language of New Zealand, and not be inappropriately lumped in with foreign languages.

“A special place for Maori in the school curriculum will be an overdue recognition of the fact that it is a unique New Zealand language and should be available to all of us.”

“At present, learning Maori is not even an option for all Maori children, let alone others. The development of kohanga reo and kura kaupapa, where Maori is the medium of instruction, is playing a vital part in the regeneration of Maori language, but only 16% of Maori school students attend these, and many go on to mainstream primary or secondary schools. A further 8% of Maori school students study Maori language in the mainstream.”

“Hopefully the new curriculum will extend this opportunity to all Maori children at both the primary and secondary levels, in the context of all New Zealand children having that opportunity.“

Te Reo Maori in the New Zealand Curriculum is one of a number of projects relevant to race relations launched or published on or around Race Relations Day. Others include:

- A book on Special Measures to Reduce Ethnic Disadvantage, by Paul Callister of the Victoria University Institute of Policy Studies
- Guidelines on Special Measures to Ensure Equality, by the Human Rights Commission
- The annual review of race relations, Tui Tui Tuituia, Race Relations in 2006, by the Human Rights Commission
- A song by OMC’s Pauly Fuemana with backing vocals by Lucy Lawless, New Zealand Aotearoa 4 All of Us
- A Welcome Pack for Migrants, by the Hamilton Migrant Resource Centre
- 2006 Census: QuickStats About Māori, by Statistics New Zealand (21 March)
- Here To Stay, a series of programmes about New Zealand migrant identities on Television New Zealand (starting 26 March)
- Koha, a new brand of organic fair trade coffee promoting the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme, by Roasted Addiqtion
- A New Start, a school newspaper resource on migrants and refugees, by Fairfax Newspapers in Education
- The formation of a Race Relations Committee in Timaru
- The formation of an international friendship group in Masterton
- New multilingual posters by the Christchurch Tenants Protection Society
- The official opening of the Marlborough Migrant Centre.

ENDS

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