Compulsory te reo maori in schools would help keep language alive
By Krissy Dwyer
Wednesday, November 3rd 2010
Te Reo Maori should be compulsory in all schools to help keep the language alive, says the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa.
A Waitangi Tribunal report has warned the language is approaching crisis point and urgent change is needed to save it from extinction.
NZEI Matua Takawaenga, Laures Park, says contrary to comments from the Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the language survives.
“Making Maori compulsory in all schools would lay down important foundations. Teaching te reo to all children would encourage it to be spoken more widely and the trickle down effect on the vitality of the language would be immeasurable.”
Laures Park says Maori children who have gone to kohanga reo and kura kaupapa are keeping the language alive, but the reality is the majority of Maori students are in mainstream schools.
One problem identified in the report is the shortage of Maori language teachers.
“The lack of teachers with te reo Maori has been an ongoing issue since the 1980s but nothing meaningful has been done to address it. This report should be a wake up call to the government and the Ministry of Education that it now needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. It’s in the interest of the whole country,” says Ms Park.
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