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The Ministry of Education is confident there are enough reo and tikanga experts to start rolling out a programme to train teachers in the language, so that they can teach it to children.
Te Ahu o te reo Māori intends to increase the te reo Māori capability of the education workforce.
It was piloted in four regions, and is now going nationwide with the budget increasing from $12 million to $108 million.
Making te reo compulsory in schools is always a hot campaign topic - but the Labour Party has said the capability is not yet there - and Te Ahu o te reo Maori has been described as being one step closer to that goal.
Māni Dunlop spoke to the Ministry's group manager Te Uepu Reo Maori, Kiritina Johnstone.