NZEI Te Riu Roa says the government must heed the Waitangi Tribunal’s urgent recommendation to immediately pause its proposal to repeal and downgrade Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across 18 pieces of legislation, including the Education and Training Act.
“Downgrading Te Tiriti in the Education Act undermines decades of progress toward an inclusive system where every tamariki thrives,” NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels said following the release of the Tribunal’s 334-page report on the governments’ Treaty Principles Reform.
“If the government weakens these commitments, it will roll back support for kaupapa Māori education and culturally responsive learning across all our schools and early childhood centres,” she said.
Mrs Lessels said Te Tiriti is the foundation that guarantees every learner’s rights, culture, and identity are respected in the classroom.
“Combined with the recent removal of school boards’ Te Tiriti obligations under section 127 of the Education and Training Act, weakening these provisions sends a clear signal that the success and wellbeing of ākonga Māori are no longer a priority for this government.
“The government must heed the Tribunal’s recommendations and focus instead on supporting our schools, early childhood centres, and educators to deliver high-quality, equitable learning for every tamariki,” Mrs Lessels said.
Submissions from Crown Counsel at the start of the Waitangi Tribunal inquiry in April indicated that the government intends to introduce the Treaty Principles Reform Bill by August.
The Tribunal described the proposed repeal or downgrading of Te Tiriti provisions in legislation as “a significant constitutional regression in terms of the legislative recognition of Te Tiriti.” It warned that the move has caused prejudice to Māori and breached the principles of good government, active protection, and partnership.