The government is rolling out a programme nationwide in an attempt to normalise te reo Māori within schools.
Photo: 123RF
Te Ahu o te reo Māori intends to increase the te reo Māori capability of the education workforce.
It was trialled last year, but now more than $100 million has been provided for the programme, which 10,000 teachers, leaders and support staff will be able to access.
Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said there was a huge demand from people wanting to learn te reo, and he was committed to integrating te reo Māori into education.
"We are already making good progress with more than 1000 people in the education workforce graduating from the programme after it was trialled in four regions last year," Davis said.
Kelvin Davis speaks at a Marae in Point Chevalier on July 31, 2020 Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
The framework focussed on the practice of reo and local dialect in a classroom setting.
Grammar, writing conventions, curriculum development and language planning are included with students at Kōhanga Reo through to Wharekura being encouraged to apply.
The programme also commits to supporting Te Tiriti o Waitangi by boosting the quality of education for Māori and giving young people the chance to learn te reo Māori.
Davis said it was about making te reo Māori accessible.
"Whānau, parents, their tamariki and the wider community have made it clear that they want te reo Māori to be a part of their education experience and Te Ahu o te Reo Māori will help us to achieve this."
Registrations are now open for the Te Ahu O Te Reo Māori programme for 2021.