Hon Parekura Horomia - Launch of Tirohia Kimihia
Hon Parekura Horomia
24 March 2006 (10.00am
pôwhiri) Speech notes
Launch of Tirohia Kimihia –
The
first monolingual Mâori learner dictionary
Te Kura
Kaupapa Mâori o te Ara Hou, Napier
Mihi
I am delighted to be here at this launch of Tirohia Kimihia. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to be launching Tirohia Kimihia at Te Kura Kaupapa Mâori o Te Ara Hou.
Today’s launch marks an important event in the history of Mâori education.
Tirohia
Kimihia is the first of it’s kind. It is the first ever
Mâori monolingual dictionary developed for tamariki,
learning through and with our language.
One of the
biggest challenges for educators is to ensure our tamariki
have the base to realise their potential.
Tirohia Kimihia goes part of the way to give educators a tool to ensure our tamariki can realise their potential.
This Government
believes in celebrating Mâori successes – across:
-
education,
- arts and culture, and
- business and
sport.
We recognise that strong successful whanau are the foundation of a strong and successful nation.
The next three to five years is critical to the next stage in the positive development of Mâori people, their assets, resources and enterprise.
Together with Mâori this
Government is committed to achieving Mâori success and high
performance:
- on the sportsfield and the kapa haka
stage,
- in classrooms,
- in boardrooms and
businesses,
- in laboratories and research centres, and
- in workplaces across the country.
At last year's Hui
Taumata it was made clear that the path for Mâori from
dependency to development is through:
- education,
-
employment and
- enterprise;
- that Mâori would
continue to steer their own economic development;
- and
that the primary responsibility for successful Mâori
development now lies with Mâori.
Mâori are responding to that challenge, and the declining number of unemployed Mâori demonstrates this commitment. The statistics reflect an impressive record of achievement by the Government and Mâori over the last six years:
Mâori are high achievers. International survey results, NCEA data and giftedness indicators say so. More Mâori students can achieve their potential.
- Mâori enrolments in early childhood are
increasing steadily.
- More Mâori complete compulsory
education and
- a greater proportion Mâori leave school
with qualifications.
- In 2002, 65% of Mâori left school
with some form of formal attainment but by 2004 this had
improved to 75% of Mâori school leavers.
- Mâori have
the highest rate of participation in tertiary education of
any ethnic group.
The recent work this government has done in introducing interest free student loans will reduce the financial burden many Mâori face accessing tertiary education.
There are more Mâori completing degrees and post-graduate qualifications than ever before. This government is determined to improve the quality and relevance of these qualifications to ensure that graduates are well placed to provide the foundation of our modern economy.
Together Mâori and the government have confronted
the barriers of high unemployment and low educational
participation that have previously constrained Mâori
development.
There is more we can do together and must
do. Everything we do together now must be measured for the
contribution it makes to the future of Mâori as successful
achievers and contributors to their whänau and to the
nation.
Tirohia Kimihia has an important part to play in developing our nation.
I would like to acknowledge the combined efforts of the Huia Publishers and the Ministry of Education. Tirohia Kimihia is the result of close to 10 years of dedication by a small team of people, who at times, had to learn along the way.
Tirohia Kimihia is a legacy to the hard work and dedication of that small team of people.
I have high expectations for the success of our schooling system to equip all tamariki for a demanding future, a future where you can realise your potential.
I would like to say Thank You to tumuaki Wi Tom Pohatu and his staff. We applaud your effort and hope that Tirohia Kimihia can add to help you to help tamariki realise their potential.
ENDS