Wellington East Girls' College students performing kapa haka (file photo). Photo: Supplied / Save the Children New Zealand
A group of Māori students are calling upon the government to restore funding for te reo Māori teaching training.
Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced on Thursday that funding for Te Ahu o te Reo, a programme dedicated to supporting teachers in learning te reo Māori, has been cut by $30 million.
Stanford said this money was needed for math workbooks, guidance, and lesson plans for the 2025 school year, and the funds had to be sourced from somewhere.
Ākonga Māori (Māori students) from Te Kura Kōhine o te Rāwhiti o te Upoko o te Ika/ Wellington East Girls' College penned a "protest letter" to Stanford, expressing their anger at the decision.
"Having strong te reo Māori kaiako (teachers) in our school is important to our learning in all subjects, because our te reo Māori- speaking teachers connect with us in a different way."
"We need people to pass te reo Māori on in every environment," they said.
Stanford previously said there was no evidence that Te Ahu o te Reo directly impacted students and their achievement.
"An evaluation of the programme found no evidence it directly impacted progress and achievements for students," Stanford said.
The group of students outlined multiple reasons in their letter to why they "strongly disagree" with this statement, and said it was important that their teachers learn te reo.
"Having te reo Māori-speaking teachers encourages a space of te reo Māori, and it helps revitalise the language," they said.
"This decision makes us feel like you don't really care about Māori people. It's saying that your culture (and also maths) is more important than our culture."
The group of students said this decision would have a negative effect, and would stop not only their teachers from learning te reo, but students too.
"We've lost the language due to colonisation. Generations before us were told they cannot speak Te Reo Māori and were punished for speaking it.
"If we don't have teachers speak te reo Māori, then we won't learn te reo Māori, because our parents didn't get a chance to learn.
"Us kids won't know where we are from if we don't learn the language."
Leanne Otene Photo: Supplied
Education sector shocked by decision
Leanne Otene, President of the New Zealand Principals' Federation, said the federation was "shocked" by the government's decision to cut funding for Te Ahu o te Reo, and said the language should not be "pitted against" other subjects.
"We understand quite clearly that the Minister has been talking about supporting maths... and we agreed with that.
"But we did not know that it would be at the expense of Te Ahu o Te Reo, a programme that we know has been very successfully rolled out across the country."
Otene said she had taken part in the programme herself, and that it supports teachers not only with te reo Māori, but with understanding a Māori world view.
"It's not just about the language, it's also around the tikanga, it's around the kaupapa, the localised stories, it's about connecting with iwi and hapū and the regions."
Otene said it prioritised the needs of students who need that "extra boost".
"Where is the underachievement? It is with our Māori and Pacifica students. And so it is absolutely critical that in order to support them with their achievement, we also need to understand their world."
"I'm really disappointed to see maths versus te reo."
Rawinia Higgins Photo: Supplied
'A step backwards' - Māori Language Commission
Professor Rawinia Higgins, Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori Board Chair, said the government's decision to cut funding for Te Ahu o te Reo was a "step backwards".
"Any reduction in support and resourcing for te reo Māori is going to have an impact.
"It might not be felt, in the immediate, but it takes us back another step because language revitalisation is an intergenerational kaupapa."
Higgins said she understood the importance of mathematics, but the framing of the decision created a division between the two subjects.
"It is essential to foster an 'and, and' situation, where both the Māori language and subjects like math can thrive together, to grow well-rounded, culturally connected New Zealanders.
"That was one of the opportunities of building this cohort of teachers across the board, so they could support and put their shoulders to the wheel of our efforts for language revitalisation... because it is a language that can unify us as a nation."
The decision to fund maths education using funds from te reo teaching, has been described as 'maths versus te reo'. Photo: RNZ / Te Aniwa Hurihanganui
Higgins said more analysis could have been done regarding the government's overarching plan for language revitalisation, which was to reach 1 million Māori speakers by 2040.
The minister responds
In a statement to RNZ, Erica Stanford said the government was committed to lifting the achievement of Māori learners in all parts of the education system.
"Everything we are doing in structured maths and structured literacy is being delivered in te reo Māori, to ensure there is equitable access across our education system."
Stanford said she was working to close the equity gap.
"That's why I established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners, to help improve outcomes for Māori learners."
"Together we are developing a Māori Education Action Plan which [is] framed by my six education priorities and [draws] on the existing Ka Hikitia - Ka Hāpaitia and Tau Mai Te Reo strategies."