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Competence in te reo Māori and culture will eventually be mandatory for teachers, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has been told, an RNZ reports says.
Teaching Council chief executive Lesley Hoskin is reported to have made the remarks as the commission considers the over-representation of tamariki Māori in state care and abuse.
RNZ says Hoskin told the hearing that principals already must verify that teachers were improving their knowledge of te reo and mātauranga Māori and that the council would toughen its stance over time.
"The reality is that at some point, we're going to have to say no longer can you have a certificate to teach in Aotearoa New Zealand without that competence."
317 teachers failed to meet the requirement in the past year, said Hoskin.