All children deserve to learn Te Reo Maori - NZEI

All children deserve to learn Te Reo Maori - NZEI

1 February 2017

NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes the Green Party's goal for every New Zealand child to learn Te Reo Maori at school, and is calling for the professional development and training of teachers needed to make this possible.

The Green Party has today announced its Maori caucus will be working with parents, teachers, unions, hapū and iwi to create a plan that will ensure every Kiwi child will learn te reo.

"Te Reo Maori should be a part of our everyday language, and taught as a key part of New Zealand's curriculum," NZEI President Lynda Stuart says.

"By normalising Te Reo Maori in our schools we help make learning more inclusive for Maori children, and we also help ensure our indigenous language stays truly alive for all of us.

"However, there is a lot of work needed to make this possible. Many more fluent Maori speakers need to be attracted into teaching, and strategies and resources are needed to ensure that professional development and training is provided both at the pre service level, and for teachers in the classroom.

"This requires a plan, but also much more Government investment if it's going to happen," Mrs Stuart said.

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