NZEI Te Riu Roa welcomes the Green Party’s proposed $200m investment for kaiako to upskill in te reo Māori as a powerful step toward language revitalisation.
“As kaiako improve their te reo Māori skills, the ākonga they teach will directly benefit,” NZEI Te Riu Roa President Ripeka Lessels said.
Mrs Lessels said the 2024 funding cuts by the Minister of Education to Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, which enabled teachers to learn the language, were a heavy blow to the sector.
She noted that the proposed investment, alongside increased funding for Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori and Te Mātāwai, would help rebuild momentum.
“A critical part of Te Ahu o te Reo was the close relationship kura built with mana whenua. Reinstating this initiative would go beyond language delivery, helping schools foster partnerships and culturally responsive approaches,” Mrs Lessels said.