Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa is supporting a claim by Ngāti Hine and Te Kapotai for an urgent Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into the government’s stealthy decision to remove legal obligations for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Since the Minister of Education’s unexpected announcement in early November, more than 1500 schools – approximately 60 percent of schools across Aotearoa – have condemned the government’s decision and are demanding that it be reversed immediately.
“School boards and principals’ associations are standing up for Te Tiriti because they know that honouring it is good for all students,” says NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels.
“The legal obligation in education legislation was introduced only in 2020 – nearly 180 years after Te Tiriti was signed – acknowledging the need for systemic change. The government is now actively reversing that commitment to equity with no prior public consultation,” says Mrs Lessels.
“The backlash to the Government’s decision from school communities across the country clearly shows that parents, whānau and schools are strongly committed to keeping Te Tiriti central to their work.
“The education system has under-served ākonga Māori, and this move to remove Treaty obligations from school boards is a regressive step that can only lead to further systemic disadvantage.
“Removing the requirement to reflect tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori, and te ao Māori in school plans and the local curriculum risks preventing ākonga Māori from ever seeing themselves or their culture reflected in what they learn,” adds Mrs Lessels.
“This is harmful to our mokopuna and unacceptable to teachers, which is why we have joined this claim for an urgent inquiry.”
ENDS