Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Associate Minister of Education

9 December 2010
Media Release

Launch of Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori

(Māori-medium national standards)

Associate Education Minister Dr Pita Sharples celebrated today’s launch of Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori as a significant step towards improving literacy and numeracy among students in Māori language immersion classes.

“Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori will help to raise achievement for Māori-medium students and to develop Māori-medium education,” says Dr Sharples.

“Students need to do well in kōrero (oral language), pānui (reading), tuhituhi (writing) and pāngarau (maths) in order to stay engaged and to achieve at school, and Nga Whanaketanga will support their learning.”

The final version of Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori were launched today at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rotoiti on the shores of Rotoiti, near Rotorua. They will be implemented in all kura and Māori-medium settings next year for years 1 to 8 students.

“It is significant that they were developed by leaders in the Māori-medium education movement,” said Dr Sharples. “Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori have since been shaped and refined after an extensive consultation period between March and August this year, where over one thousand people gave feedback on the draft documents – maintaining their rangatiratanga,“ he said.

They describe the kōrero, pānui, tuhituhi, and pāngarau skills and knowledge students need in all curriculum areas of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and marautanga-ā-kura.

Students’ progress and achievement against Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori will be assessed throughout the year and parents and whānau will receive plain language reports. “Students will know what they need to learn next - and teachers, parents and whānau will be able to become more involved and support their learning at home,” says Dr Sharples.

“Teachers, principals, parents, whānau and board members have been positive and we are grateful for their feedback,” says Dr Sharples.

“The Maori-medium education sector is relatively new so the consultation for Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori has helped build stronger evidence of immersion education and to ensure Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori are set at the right levels.”

“Following this launch, we will continue to work with Te Runanganui o nga Kura Kaupapa Maori to develop their curriculum, after which Nga Whanaketanga Rumaki Maori can be aligned with Te Aho Matua,” said Dr Sharples.

Implementation of Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori will also involve the development and implementation of assessment tools; and professional development for teachers, principals and Boards.

For more information see: www.minedu.govt.nz

ENDS

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