“Building the teaching workforce of the future is one of my priorities. We need to grow the overall workforce and that takes time.”
This was Education Minister Erica Stanford’s response to the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA) calls for more reo Māori teachers.
PPTA Māori vice-president Te Aomihia Taua-Glassie said there was a shortage crisis of te reo Māori teachers in secondary schools.
Stanford acknowledged the shortage of secondary teachers, saying the government had placed them in the “green list as another interim fix“.
The government had invested $53 million for the next four years to try to “attract, retain, and train our teachers”.
“Some 359 secondary teachers have come across the border this year to July, a 54% increase on the same period in 2023. And 113 primary teachers have arrived over the same period, a 40% increase on last year.
“With regard to teacher supply, the Ministry of Education has various initiatives available to attract, train and retain te reo Māori teachers; including, scholarships, allowances and study awards.
“There is more to do, and it is essential we encourage and grow our own teachers. I will continue to focus on how we can build and support the workforce of the future,” Stanford said in a statement to Te Ao Māori News.
She said as minister of education, she was committed to improving outcomes for Māori learners.
She noted that she had just established, the Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group, chaired by Dr Wayne Ngata.
“I will work with them to develop a Māori Education Action Plan, which will be framed by my six education priorities and draw on the existing Ka Hikitia - Ka Hāpaitia and Tau Mai Te Reostrategies. This will require specialist knowledge and experience to make the most difference for Māori learners”
“I am also committed to working with Te Matakahuki, leaders and representative groups of Kaupapa Māori education, to identify shared priorities.
“It is important we invest in te reo Māori. That’s why we fund Te Kura Correspondence School, and the Virtual Learning Network, so all students can access Te Reo Māori resources no matter which school they attend.”
In early September, Standford announced an investment and development into structured literacy, which included te reo Māori.
“Schools will be able to access free decodable books and other resources in te reo from the ministry and directly receive cash funds to supplement this with other materials they might need. (for example, whiteboards, flashcards, games)
“Our new phonics check is a world-first in te reo Māori and specifically reflects the needs of learners in bilingual settings.
“We have also invested in PLD specifically in te reo Māori by accrediting 12 providers to work across New Zealand in Māori medium classrooms,” she said.